Umaria Sinhawansa

Umaria Sinhawansa was born on 5 January 1991 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.^{[citation needed]} Her parents, Tony Sinhawansa and Ayesha Sinhawansa, were both musicians.^[4] She studied at Muslim Ladies' College and Gateway International School in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in music.^[5][when?] She has two older brothers, Subandrio, who is also a musician, and Hartono, a music producer and entrepreneur. Umaria's grandmother, Rani Perera, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema. She is also a granddaughter of the late songstress and actress Rukmani Devi.^[6][7]

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

At age 11, Umaria performed with her sister Umara for a public audience, marking the beginning of her professional music career.^[8] She performed a few songs with Sri Lankan music producer Sri Shyamalangan. She later joined with popular music duo Bathiya and Santhush (BnS) for a song of the Arabic genre called "Shaheena". After the song, she collaborated with BnS again for the Asai Man Piyabanna film playback "Pathu Pem Pathum".^[9] The song was a hit and became a turning point in her career.^[10]

In 2007, she became the youngest singer ever to be nominated for the Best Female Playback Singer at the Sarasaviya Awards. In 2009, she voiced the theme song for the television serial Gehenu Lamai. She also wrote "Gum Nade" for the movie Rosa Kele.^[11]

In 2010, aged 16, Umaria represented Sri Lanka in Pan Asia Music Festival, an international singing competition, which was held in Beijing, China.^[12][13] She later won first place from the semi-finals and the Silver medal from the whole competition. She was invited again to an international competition, this time in Turkey, where she was the only Asian contestant. In that competition, she won the bronze medal.^{[citation needed]}

Later, she participated in the Crimea Music Fest with her sister. They both performed an original song titled "My Dreams",^[14] and covered the song "Halo" by Beyoncé.^[15] They won third place from that competition.^[16] After winning many international competitions, she returned to Sri Lanka, where she joined the Ashanthi School of Music conducted by Ashanthi De Alwis. During this period, she featured with Randhir Witana in the song Mal Madahasa.^[17]

In 2010, Sinhawansa performed on the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA Awards) with BnS.^[18]

In 2013, she performed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) opening ceremony.^[19] She recorded a duet with W. D. Amaradeva before his death.^[20]

In 2014, she featured with Dewasri de Silva for the song "Nidahase Inna",^[21] and took part in many BnS collaborations such as "Kavikariye", "Baila Gamuda Remix Karala", "Hinipeththata", and "Hitha Wawannema Na" .^[22]

In 2015, Umariya released her first original hit, Denuwan Piya, produced by BnS, which achieved commercial success.^[23] Meanwhile, she became a judge for the singing reality show, Sirasa Superstar.^[24] Then she joined the celebrity reality show "Hiru Mega Stars" for the team "Sooryans" along with Yureni Noshika, Himali Sayurangi, Asanka Perera, Pathum Rukshan, Piyumi Botheju and Akila Dhanuddara.^[25][26]

In 2017, she joined the reality program "Youth with Talent – Generation Next" as a guest judge.^[27]

In 2018, Umaria was complimented by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her performance of the song "Vaishnav Jana To," a musical tribute for Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary.^[28][29]

In 2018 she released a single, Malak Nowe,^[30] and then featured with Ruwan Hettiarachchi for the song "Hiru Mal Kiniththak Dara".^[31] In the same year, she made playback singing for the film Bimba Devi alias Yashodhara.^[32] After that song, she became an A-Grade singer at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. She is the youngest artist to have achieved this feat. She later collaborated with BnS for the album Oba Nisa and toured for the Oba Nisa concert.^[33][34]

In 2019, she was a playback singer for the blockbuster Vijayaba Kollaya, directed by Sunil Ariyaratne.^[35] In the same year, she premiered her single, "Rangume" ^[36] on 9 August. On 11 December 2019, she collaborated with BnS and Sanuka Wickramasinghe for the song Saragi Asille.^[37] During the pandemic, she performed the first Drive-In Concert in Sri Lanka.^[38]

On 3 July 2020, she released the solo "Manda Pama"^[39] which was recorded in France.

In November 2020, she joined the coaching panel of the reality show "The Voice Sri Lanka". Umaria is also known for her role as a coach on the televised singing competition The Voice Sri Lanka, where she was the winning coach of the season 2021.^[40] While working on "The Voice Sri Lanka" competition, she released the song "Rathu Eli".^[41] She also made cameo appearances in the films Dancing Stars and Spandana.

On 4 February 2021, she released the single "Yuda Gini Dumaraya" as a tribute to war heroes.^[42]

Year	Title	Channel	Language	Role
2015–16	Sirasa Superstar (Season 7)	Sirasa TV	Sinhala	Judge – Herself
2020–21	The Voice Sri Lanka (Season 1)	Sirasa TV	Sinhala	Coach – Herself
2022–23	The Voice Sri Lanka (Season 2)	Sirasa TV	Sinhala	Coach – Herself

Name	Video Director	Year
Manda Pama	Hasinth Pathirana	2020
Rangume	Chamil Pathirana	2019
Naane	Hasinth Pathirana	2022

Year	Song	Collaboration	Ref.
2009	Shaheena	Bathiya and Santhush
2009	Ra Pura Payana Tharuka	Bathiya and Santhush
2010	Baila Gamuda Remix Karala	Bathiya and Santhush
2010	Wassanayata Atha Wanala	Umara Sinhawansa
2010	Sithale Tharu Dilena Madiyame	Many artists
2012	Kavikariye	Bathiya and Santhush
2013	Mal Madahasa Pidena	Randhir Witana, Bathiya and Santhush
2013	Meena Daasa Asha	Many artists
2013	Sthuthi Sri Lanka	Many artists
2014	Nidahase Inna	Devashrie de Silva
2014	Sihine	Dushyanth Weeraman
2014	Lassana Dasak	Bathiya and Santhush, Randhir Witana
2015	Seethala Sulaga	Sunil Perera, Devashirie de Silva, Samitha Mudunkotuwa, Billy Fernando
2015	Denimak Wage	Dewshan Perera
2015	Hanthana Sihine	Pandith W. D. Amaradeva
2015	Senehe Ammage	Shihan Mihiranga, Nirosha Virajini, Kasun Kalhara
2018	Vaishnav Jana To	Bathiya and Santhush
2018	Hiru Mal Kiniththak	Ruwan Hettiarachchi
2019	Ma Obei Dan	Nalin Perera
2019	Mathakai Eda	Billy Fernando
2019	Saragi Asille	Bathiya and Santhush, Sanuka wickramasinghe
2020	Nim Him Sewwa (cover song)	Bathiya and Santhush, Sashika Nisansala, Kasun Kalhara
2021	Me Kirula	Amarasiri Peiris
2021	T20 Cricket World Cup Song	various Artists
2021	4 Nations International Tournament Theme Song	Sri Lanka Football ft. BNS, Randeer & Roy
2021	Ekwa Jayagamu Lanka Premier League 2021 Official Theme Song	Bathiya and Santhush, Yohani, ADK, Sanka Dineth, Sajitha Anthony

Year	Film	Songs	Ref.
2007	Asai Man Piyabanna	Pethu Pem Pethum
2008	Rosa Kale	Gum Nade
2008	Adaraye Namayen	Feel My love
2009	Dancing Star	Sinaha Ko
2015	Pravegaya	Sihilel Wu
2015	Spandana	Man Vinda, Oya Muwe Hasaral
2018	Sarungal	Thanivee
2018	Bimba Devi alias Yashodhara	Thurul Karan
2018	Ginnen Upan Seethala	Ane Ganadura
2019	Vijayaba Kollaya	Ahi Pillamak Athara

Year	Work	Festival	Award	Result
2007	Pethu Pem Pethum	Sarasaviya Awards	Best Playback Singer	Nominated
2008	Gum Nade	Sarasaviya Awards	Best Playback Singer	Nominated
2010	International Music Competition	Asia Song Festival	Silver Award	Won
2010	cover song Listen by Beyonce	Asia Song Festival	Best Solo Performance	Won
2010	International Music Competition	Izmir Turkey	Bronze award at the original song contest	Won
2011	International Music Competition	Asian Youth Singing competition China	Silver Award	Won
2011	My Dreams- Original	Crimea Music Fest	Bronze Award	Won
2016	Lassana Dasak	Derana Music Video Awards	Best Music Video	Won
2016	Reality competition	Hiru Mega Stars	Champion Of The Competition	Won
2020	Contribution To The Country	Kala Keerthi Abhimani	Appreciative Award	Won
2020	contribution to the music	TV Derana Aya Pranama	Best Woman In Singing Category	Won
2021	Manda Pama	SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards	Song Of The Year	Won
2021	Contribution To The Country	Vanithabimani	Appreciative Award	Won
2023	Ane Ganadura	20th Presidential Awards	Best Playback Singer Woman Award 2019	Won
2024	Ahi Pillamak Athara	35th Sarasaviya Awards	Best Playback Singer Woman Award 2019	Won