Nuwandhika Senarathne

Last updated
Nuwandhika Senarathne
නුවන්ධිකා සේනාරත්න
NuwandhikaSenarathne.png
Born
Nuwandhika Senarathne

(1993-06-23) 23 June 1993 (age 30)
Narammala, Sri Lanka
EducationMayurapada Central College
Alma mater University of the Visual and Performing Arts, University of Kelaniya
Occupations
  • Singer
  • musician
Years active2020–present
SpouseJayanga Kaushalya (m.2023)
Awards2nd in Derana Dream Star Season IX
Website nuwandhikasenarathne.com

Nuwandhika Senarathne (born 23 June 1993) is a Sri Lankan singer and television personality who is most known as a playback singer, as well as a performer of Soprano Opera and Ghazals. She rose to fame as the 1st runner-up of the reality TV show Derana Dream Star Season IX. [1]

Contents

Nuwandhika has been praised for her "amazing vocal abilities and charisma", [2] and hailed for her stellar vocal poise. [3] She earned her first award nomination for the Best Teledrama Singer - Female at the 2019-20 Raigam Tele'es Awards, for singing the theme song of Asanwara Wessak which aired on ITN.

Early life

Nuwandhika Senarathne was born on 23 June 1993 in Narammala, Sri Lanka.[ citation needed ] She is the only child of Sunil Senarathne and Kusum Herath. She grew up in Narammala, a small town near Kurunegala. She completed her primary education at Mayurapada Primary school, Narammala. Then she attended Mayurapada Central College to complete her secondary education. She completed her Visharad Diploma in 2011 before entering the university for higher education. [4]

She studied western music at the University of the Visual and Performing Arts and completed her university degree (Bachelor of Performing Arts Honours degree specialised in Western Music) in 2019 with a Second Class Upper division. She is an A-Grade singer at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. [5]

Nuwandhika is currently studying for Master of Philosophy (MPhil.) Degree in Music from the University of Kelaniya. [6]

Career

Nuwandhika started to learn music formally when she was ten years old. She entered into Saundarya Abhimani competition(division of GHAZAL) in 2019 and won the first place and received grand prize of a full sponsorship to represent her university in the South Asian Inter-university Music Festival in India. [5] In 2020, she competed in the TV reality show Derana Dream Star season IX and won the second place in the competition. [7] [8]

"Where voice is simply music"

— Nuwandhika Senarathne [5]

In October 2020, she voiced the theme song “Obata Lanvee” with Raween Kanishka for FM Derana “Apoorva” radio drama. [1] [9] She was pushed more into the public sphere after she sang the theme song Sihinayak Mewna in March, 2021, for the Iskole teledrama, which was broadcast on TV Derana. [1] Following this surge in fame, in August 2021, she voiced the theme song “Malen Upan Samanali” with Raween Kanishka for TV Derana, Deweni Inima tele drama, which has reached over 15 million views on YouTube as of April 2022. [6]

Nuwandhika initiated her film playback singing career in January 2021, when she voiced a duet with Supun Perera for the Sada Diya Salu movie directed by Channa Perera. [10] [11] In the same year, she sang the song Heeneka Paya for the film Kabaddi . [12]

In addition to being a singer, she has hosted a TV program in TV Derana. Nuwandhika has taken part in the popular chat TV shows Maathra in Swarnawahini, and Sihinayaki Re in Rupavahini, on several occasions. [5] Furthermore, she is a brand ambassador for SLTMobitel. [13] [14]

In December 2021, Nuwandhika toured Dubai with veteran musician Keerthi Pasqual for a musical evening at the Radisson Blu Deira Creek Hotel. Moreover, in May 2022, she toured Australia as a part of the Derana Stars Concert 2022 organised by TV Derana, featuring fellow contemporary singers Falan Andrea, Dulanga Sampath, Raween Kanishka, Ravi Royster, and veteran musicians Nadeeka Guruge and Keerthi Pasqual. [15] [16] Nuwandhika was set to tour Canada in June 2022 for the Dream Voices Canada Tour 2022 with fellow artists Falan Andrea and Suneera Sumanga; however, the tour got postponed owing to unavoidable circumstances, with the new dates yet to be announced. On March 22, 2024, the new dates for the postponed Dream Voices Canada Tour was announced, with Lavan Abhishek replacing Falan Andrea.

Personal life

Nuwandhika married software engineer Jayanga Kaushalya on 27 January 2023.

Tours

YearDateVenue
202117 DecemberRadisson Blu Deira Creek Hotel, Dubai
202220 MayBunjil Place Concert Hall, Melbourne
22 MayConcourse Concert Hall, Sydney
1 OctoberForrest Hill, Auckland
8 OctoberDubai, UAE
TBASurrey, British Columbia
TBAEdmonton, Alberta
TBAPauline-Boutal Hall, Winnipeg
TBAToronto, Ontario
TBAOttawa, Ontario

Milestones

Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2021Mala Hiru Basa Yana - Asanwara Wessak - ITN Raigam Tele'es Best Teledrama Singer(Female) Nominated
2024Mala Hiru Basa Yana - Asanwara Wessak - ITN State Music Awards - Best Singer (Female) of the YearWon

Achievements

YearCompetitionVenuePosition
2019Saundarya Abhimani competition, division of GHAZAL [5] Sri Lanka1st
2011All Island CALYPSO competition1st
2020 Derana Dream Star 2nd
2012All Island GHAZAL competition2nd
2015University wide Western Singing competition [5] 3rd
201912th South Asian Inter-university Music Festival(SAUFEST) [5] IndiaRepresent

Playback singing

Film songs

YearFilmSongComposer(s)Writer(s)Co-singer(s)Ref
2023SinhabahuGangawe GeethayaSaman PanapitiyaSomarathne Dissanayake
2021 Kabaddi (2021 film) Heeneka PayaHashan ChandimaGihan Anushka IlangakoonAmal Perera [12]

Teledrama songs

YearTeledramaSongComposer(s)Writer(s)Co-singer(s)Ref
2023Raajini - TV Derana Man GawaluThilina TharakaAnoma WijayawardaneDinelka Muthuarachchi
Rosa - TV Derana Paya PayaNimesh KulasingheKusala VidanapathiranaHarsha Dhanosh
Muthu Muthu Naade
2022Shakthi - TV Derana Mama Mage NowenamThilina TharakaJanaka Siriwardhana Suneera Sumanga
Mathaka Siththam - Rupavahini [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2] Jeewithe Gatha Wela YaddiLahiru MadivilaAradhana Ekanayake
Atheethaye Pem KathawaChamara Fernando
Diurumak Dennam
Hithuwakkara - TV Derana Mathaka ImeChathuranga De SilvaYawwana Sameendra
2021Puduma HithuwakkarayaGihan Chamika
Naadi ITN JeewithayeDarshana Ruwan DissanayakePrasadini SenadheeraDarshana Ruwan Dissanayake
Deweni Inima - TV Derana Malen Upan SamanaliChathuranga De Silva, Nimesh KulasingheGihan ChamikaRaween Kanishka [6]
Iskole - TV Derana Sihinayak Mawna - Theme SongNimesh KulasingheShehan Galahitiyawa [1]
2020Asanwara Wessak - ITN Mala Hiru Basa Yana - Theme SongSamantha PereraDr.Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe [17]
2018Kiruli - Hiru TV Kiruli - Theme SongMilinda ThennakoonKasun Mahendra Heenatigala

Radio drama songs

YearRadio dramaSongComposer(s)Writer(s)Co-singer(s)Ref
2021Apoorwa - FM Derana Adareida MandaDuleeka KodagodaDilan GamageDuet With Falan Andrea [6]
2020Obata Lanvee - Theme songNimesh KulasingheSaman EdirimuneeDuet With Raween Kanishka [9] [1]
2016Anuththara - Hiru FM Sandata Duka HithilaThilina RuhunageRachitha WakistaDuet With Isuru Geekiyanage

Discography

[1]

YearTitleComposer(s)Writer(s)Co-singer(s)
2023Magey HussmaChathurangana De SilvaSampath FernandopulleHector Dias
Ninde Eda Pasu Wu NisaChandana DasanayakeThilakasena Basnayake
Nil Tharu Adana Dasa Rohana Weerasinghe Sunil GamageChandika Vitharena
2022Sande WadinnaNavarathna GamageJagath Rajesh
Puthuni MageAROH, Samantha GeekiyanageDr. Ruwani Nugara
Epa Numba Sanda WennaAruna GunawardanaDr. Rajika Karunadasa
Koi Tharam Sene UnathVisharada Samantha PereraHemamali Hapuarachchi
2021Datha Sudu MahathwaruniDharshana WickramathungaChandana Bandara Wanninayake
Sasara MagaBandara Eheliyagoda
Abhiman LiyaPeshala ManojChaturanga Rajapaksha
Kanda KetiyaWaruna GunathilakePanduka Mahamithawa
Siduhath Oba YannaAruna GunawardanaMahee Kolitha Ferdinando
Geeyak GayannaUpali MendisAnura Magalage Keerthi Pasqual
Ridunu MalakLahiru De CostaKumuduni WickramathanthriGayashan Weerawansha
Kahamal IththakMassane Vijitha Thero
SansariniWaruna GunathilakeTharindu WeerasingheMiyuru Somarathna
Sathimath DaruwoSachee MadurangaIndra Ariyarathne
Mal TattooRoshani Gunawardana
2020Rosa HeenaSachee Maduranga
Bindee WisirunuDarshana WickramatungaLakmali Karunanayake
WasanthayeLishan BandaraHansi SandamaliDesika Kamalanjana
Ma Rahasin [lower-alpha 3] Nimesh KulasingheShehan Galahitiyawa
2019Mathake NubageAmusync EntertainmentReru
2016Rathriya Awadi WeeSam WimaladharmaChaminda Krishantha
Ape Atheethaya H. M. Jayawardena Manjula Senanayaka

Notes

  1. Mathaka Siththam is the Sri Lankan dubbed version of the South Korean drama Saimdang
  2. Nuwandhika provided backing vocals for the song Mathaka Nomiyewi
  3. Ma Rahasin was produced under a special offer made while she was contesting in the Top 5 round of Derana Dream Star Season IX

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