Desmond Anaclitus Rajiva de Silva was born on the 13th of July 1944, at Matara, a southern coastal town of Sri Lanka. He is recognized today as being an iconic Singer/Entertainer in Sri Lanka and within the expat communities around the world. His powerful voice and fantastic range stirred the hearts of young and old alike.

Desmond came from a musical family as his mother & father were part of a family band.  Evenings growing up were spent listening to his parents, aunts and uncles singing to the tunes of that era.  Desmond was often coaxed to perform as well.

He started his musical career when he was 19 years old. He was the lead vocalist with the Fireflies and then went on to be part of the Jetliners, Spitfires; finally forming his own band called Desmond & The Clan whose popularity soared when they performed to sell out audiences at the Capricorn Night club in Colombo. The band was contracted to play in Katmandu where they were discovered by an Agent who offered them a contract to tour the Scandinavian region where they performed as a band for 7 years in the region. Desmond then embarked on his solo career which took him on tours around the world at the invitation of expats for a variety of community events.

Desmond’s popularity soared as a solo artist, and he undertook demanding schedules of overseas engagements at sold out events.  He also formed his band “Desmond & The Impressions” based in Sydney and toured with his band in Australia, New Zealand & Indonesia.

Desmond more than made his mark in the music scene in Sri Lanka and globally. He was arguably Sri Lanka’s greatest Singer/Entertainer. His energy and exuberance for his craft set him apart from his peers and his talent to engage with his audience in his own imitable style won him fans across generations. From the 1960’s till his untimely death in January 2022, he commanded the stage and entertained his audience. He had a knack for “feeling” the energy & pulse of an audience and he entertained them as they expected.

He had been sent many videos and heard many stories from parents with young children who danced and sang along to his music. It always lifted his heart and brought a smile to his face. On and off the stage Desmond loved giving of his best to his fans. He was a mentor and relished in guiding budding musicians in their own musical careers or ambitions. He was well loved and respected by his peers in the music industry.

During Covid restrictions, Desmond & his wife Phyllis were able to enjoy quality time together and they loved being at home, enjoying their garden and spending time with their dogs Holly & Charlie. This time was also spent catching up with reading and quiet intimate dinners with family & friends.  With the help and encouragement of family, Phyllis & Des set up a studio at home and Des was able to entertain his fans through virtual concerts and also to record and revive old favourites. His recording of the Bob Marley classic ‘Three Little Birds’ lifted the spirits of his fans around the world, especially those in Sri Lanka who were doing it tougher than others. Des wanted to encourage and inspire his peers and fans through his music. ‘Don’t Worry about a Thing, Cos Everything is Going to be Alright’, were the words Des used to instil hope during the unprecedented times.