‘Composed by odel.lk’ marks maiden collaboration with Soundarie David

Soundarie David Rodrigo

Softlogic Retail Holdings Chief Operations Officer- E-Commerce Nuwan Widyapathige

Softlogic Brands and Odel Head of Buying Shanika Weragoda

• Sri Lanka’s first branded interactive music video
• Enables viewers to select and purchase products on the video as they watch in real time  

‘Composed by odel.lk’, a powerful initiative by Sri Lanka’s largest online fashion retailer odel.lk, marked its maiden collaboration with the launch of acclaimed Sri Lankan pianist, music director and founder of ‘Soul Sounds Academy’ Soundarie David Rodrigo’s first mainstream music video yesterday. 

The initiative aims to elevate Sri Lankan artists of diverse backgrounds and disciplines who are breaking boundaries and leading the way forward in the country’s arts industry.  

Titled ‘Complicated’, the sensational melody and visually alluring ‘interactive’ music video highlights the latest spring and summer collection by Odel. It is Sri Lanka’s first clickable, branded interactive video that enables viewers to seamlessly select and purchase products on the video as they watch in real time.

As a leader in the Sri Lankan fashion industry, Odel leads a legacy of sourcing and curating experiences that offer the very best in fashion and lifestyle. With many retail stores either operating under restricted measures or being closed entirely due to the ongoing pandemic, odel.lk was among the first to offer consumers efficient and safe access to their portfolio digitally. In an environment where customers are constantly looking for better alternatives, this novel ‘shoppable’ video solution intends disrupt the purchasing journey for Sri Lankans by making it simple to shop in the moment. 

Softlogic Retail Holdings Chief Operating Officer – E-commerce Nuwan Widyapathige stated: “Odel has always strived hard to amplify the consumer experience at every touchpoint, whether it is digital or in-store. Odel.lk is a strategic culmination of this vision, launched way before the pandemic. We have always invested greatly in digital innovation that can enhance the shopping experience. So we are thrilled to introduce this novel technology that makes shopping online smooth and enjoyable for the very first time in Sri Lanka. To launch this novel offering with the Composed by odel.lk initiative is a cherry on top. 

“Composed by odel.lk is in its essence is a passionate attempt by Odel to collaborate with diverse artists to help bring their art to life while seamlessly integrating the odel.lk brand into these creations. We consider it an honour to empower and work together with some of Sri Lanka’s best talent this way. To us, fashion is a powerful art form that allows people to express themselves fully, and so is music. Therefore, this maiden collaboration with a musical maestro such as Soundarie was such a natural fit that melds harmoniously with our brand philosophy.”

Showcased in the video, Odel’s latest spring and summer collection is inspired by the moods and colours of tropical island bliss. Commenting on the collection, Softlogic Brands and Odel Head of Buying Shanika Weragoda opines, “”This year’s spring and summer collection is inspired by the sensations of “island life” with comfortable cascading silhouettes, and bright celebratory hues such as red, blue and orange that are brought to life by cotton-blended fabrics which are light and breathable. Fashion is essentially art in movement, and the experiences we curate at Odel are always underscored by this philosophy.”

‘Complicated’ or ‘Mulawe Maya’ is Soundarie’s latest musical masterpiece, one that makes the history books as the first in the country to be released simultaneously in both English and Sinhala. With lyrics and melody penned by Soundarie in English and translated into Sinhala by Shehan Galahitiyawa, the two songs are brought to life with the fine voices of accomplished young Sri Lankan musical talent Shehara Liyanage and Hirushi Jayasena. The music video also features upcoming young actress and model Tashiya Kalidasa. “Whilst there have been female artists who have made it big in the Sri Lankan Music Industry, it is not very easy getting there, and sometimes talent alone does not suffice. In such a tough backdrop, Odel’s powerful initiative helps open doors for the island’s many gifted artists trying to make it in dance, music, and arts. Not only do they provide financial empowerment, they also take great care to engage with us in a truly collaborative approach while offering immeasurable hands-on support throughout the end to end creative journey, which I believe deserves great applause,” Soundarie opined.

Soundarie continued to add that the song’s breathtaking melody and powerful lyrical body beautifully narrates the confusion between the complexities of human emotion. “Complicated was very much an inspired melody, and hence it holds a special place in my heart. The lyrics leave a sense of mystery and illusion, from the melodic line to the instrumentation used, right up to the visuals, it was a process of trying to capture that mood of complicated unspoken emotions experienced by all.”

Shehara Liyanage and Hirushi Jayasena