There is no need to pay copyright owners for singing at wedding ceremonies and private parties - Minister Vijitha

Foreign Minister Wijitha Herath emphasizes that the news circulating on social media, stating that a certain amount of money must be paid to lyricists and music creators when singing songs at weddings, hotels, and other general events, is completely false. He points out that these rumors, which are currently circulating heavily on social media platforms including Facebook, are baseless fabrications.

The Minister stated that he had inquired into the matter from the relevant parties. He clarified that according to intellectual property laws, which are in effect internationally as well as in Sri Lanka, the legal ownership of any song belongs to its lyricist and music director. The Association of Composers and Publishers of Sri Lanka (ACPOSL) recently held a press conference and stated that creators have the right to receive fair benefits for their creations.

However, it was revealed that the requests made by the relevant associations are not related to the entertainment activities of the general public or private events. These parties have only pointed out that a portion of the income generated from commercial music concerts, organized solely for profit by selling tickets, should be given to the true owners of the songs.

Accordingly, Minister Wijitha Herath further confirmed that no legal charges will be levied for singing a song at a wedding, a hotel, or any other general event. He also stated that no restrictions have been imposed to prevent singing a song at a wedding without payment, as circulated on social media, and that he had directly investigated this matter.