Nuwandhika Senarathne

Nuwandhika Senarathne
නුවන්ධිකා සේනාරත්න
Born	Nuwandhika Senarathne (1993-06-23) 23 June 1993 (age 31) Narammala, Sri Lanka
Education	Mayurapada Central College
Alma mater	University of the Visual and Performing Arts, University of Kelaniya
Occupations	Singer musician
Years active	2020–present
Spouse	Jayanga Kaushalya (m.2023)
Awards	2nd 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]

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

Year	Date	Venue
2021	17 December	Radisson Blu Deira Creek Hotel, Dubai
2022	20 May	Bunjil Place Concert Hall, Melbourne
	22 May	Concourse Concert Hall, Sydney
	1 October	Forrest Hill, Auckland
	8 October	Dubai, UAE
	TBA	Surrey, British Columbia
	TBA	Edmonton, Alberta
	TBA	Pauline-Boutal Hall, Winnipeg
	TBA	Toronto, Ontario
	TBA	Ottawa, Ontario

Milestones

• "A" grade award granted by Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. ^[5]
• Won first place from All Island CALYPSO competition, 2011.
• Won first place from Saundarya Abhimani competition, division of GHAZAL, 2019. ^[5]
• Performed on 12th South Asian Inter-university Music Festival(SAUFEST) held at Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur(INDIA), 2019. ^[5]
• Graduated(BPA(Hons.) specialized in western music) from University of the Visual and Performing Arts with a second class upper division, 2019.

Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2021	Mala Hiru Basa Yana - Asanwara Wessak - ITN	Raigam Tele'es Best Teledrama Singer(Female)	Nominated
2024	Mala Hiru Basa Yana - Asanwara Wessak - ITN	State Music Awards - Best Singer (Female) of the Year	Won

Achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	Position
2019	Saundarya Abhimani competition, division of GHAZAL [5]	Sri Lanka	1st
2011	All Island CALYPSO competition		1st
2020	Derana Dream Star		2nd
2012	All Island GHAZAL competition		2nd
2015	University wide Western Singing competition [5]		3rd
2019	12th South Asian Inter-university Music Festival(SAUFEST) [5]	India	Represent

Playback singing

Film songs

Year	Film	Song	Composer(s)	Writer(s)	Co-singer(s)	Ref
2023	Sinhabahu	Gangawe Geethaya	Saman Panapitiya	Somarathne Dissanayake
2021	Kabaddi (2021 film)	Heeneka Paya	Hashan Chandima	Gihan Anushka Ilangakoon	Amal Perera	[12]

Teledrama songs

Year	Teledrama	Song	Composer(s)	Writer(s)	Co-singer(s)	Ref
2023	Raajini - TV Derana	Man Gawalu	Thilina Tharaka	Anoma Wijayawardane	Dinelka Muthuarachchi
	Rosa - TV Derana	Paya Paya	Nimesh Kulasinghe	Kusala Vidanapathirana	Harsha Dhanosh
		Muthu Muthu Naade
2022	Shakthi - TV Derana	Mama Mage Nowenam	Thilina Tharaka	Janaka Siriwardhana	Suneera Sumanga
	Mathaka Siththam - Rupavahini [a] [b]	Jeewithe Gatha Wela Yaddi	Lahiru Madivila	Aradhana Ekanayake
		Atheethaye Pem Kathawa			Chamara Fernando
		Diurumak Dennam
	Hithuwakkara - TV Derana	Mathaka Ime	Chathuranga De Silva	Yawwana Sameendra
2021		Puduma Hithuwakkaraya		Gihan Chamika
	Naadi ITN	Jeewithaye	Darshana Ruwan Dissanayake	Prasadini Senadheera	Darshana Ruwan Dissanayake
	Deweni Inima - TV Derana	Malen Upan Samanali	Chathuranga De Silva, Nimesh Kulasinghe	Gihan Chamika	Raween Kanishka	[6]
	Iskole - TV Derana	Sihinayak Mawna - Theme Song	Nimesh Kulasinghe	Shehan Galahitiyawa		[1]
2020	Asanwara Wessak - ITN	Mala Hiru Basa Yana - Theme Song	Samantha Perera	Dr.Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe		[17]
2018	Kiruli - Hiru TV	Kiruli - Theme Song	Milinda Thennakoon	Kasun Mahendra Heenatigala

Radio drama songs

Year	Radio drama	Song	Composer(s)	Writer(s)	Co-singer(s)	Ref
2021	Apoorwa - FM Derana	Adareida Manda	Duleeka Kodagoda	Dilan Gamage	Duet With Falan Andrea	[6]
2020		Obata Lanvee - Theme song	Nimesh Kulasinghe	Saman Edirimunee	Duet With Raween Kanishka	[9] [1]
2016	Anuththara - Hiru FM	Sandata Duka Hithila	Thilina Ruhunage	Rachitha Wakista	Duet With Isuru Geekiyanage

Discography

^[1]

Year	Title	Composer(s)	Writer(s)	Co-singer(s)
2023	Magey Hussma	Chathurangana De Silva	Sampath Fernandopulle	Hector Dias
	Ninde Eda Pasu Wu Nisa	Chandana Dasanayake	Thilakasena Basnayake
	Nil Tharu Adana Dasa	Rohana Weerasinghe	Sunil Gamage	Chandika Vitharena
2022	Sande Wadinna	Navarathna Gamage	Jagath Rajesh
	Puthuni Mage	AROH, Samantha Geekiyanage	Dr. Ruwani Nugara
	Epa Numba Sanda Wenna	Aruna Gunawardana	Dr. Rajika Karunadasa
	Koi Tharam Sene Unath	Visharada Samantha Perera	Hemamali Hapuarachchi
2021	Datha Sudu Mahathwaruni	Dharshana Wickramathunga	Chandana Bandara Wanninayake
	Sasara Maga		Bandara Eheliyagoda
	Abhiman Liya	Peshala Manoj	Chaturanga Rajapaksha
	Kanda Ketiya	Waruna Gunathilake	Panduka Mahamithawa
	Siduhath Oba Yanna	Aruna Gunawardana	Mahee Kolitha Ferdinando
	Geeyak Gayanna	Upali Mendis	Anura Magalage	Keerthi Pasqual
	Ridunu Malak	Lahiru De Costa	Kumuduni Wickramathanthri	Gayashan Weerawansha
	Kahamal Iththak		Massane Vijitha Thero
	Sansarini	Waruna Gunathilake	Tharindu Weerasinghe	Miyuru Somarathna
	Sathimath Daruwo	Sachee Maduranga	Indra Ariyarathne
	Mal Tattoo		Roshani Gunawardana
2020	Rosa Heena		Sachee Maduranga
	Bindee Wisirunu	Darshana Wickramatunga	Lakmali Karunanayake
	Wasanthaye	Lishan Bandara	Hansi Sandamali	Desika Kamalanjana
	Ma Rahasin [c]	Nimesh Kulasinghe	Shehan Galahitiyawa
2019	Mathake Nubage	Amusync Entertainment	Reru
2016	Rathriya Awadi Wee	Sam Wimaladharma	Chaminda 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

References

1. "රිද්මය". e-Tunes. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
2. "SLT-MOBITEL appoints popular reality stars Falan Andrea and Nuwandika Senarathna as Brand Ambassadors". February 2021.
3. "Rupane Episode 308". 13 August 2022.
4. "වෙල් එළියේ මඳ නලට මුමුණපු අහිංසකාවිය – නුවන්දිකා සේනාරත්න". Aruna Official Website. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
5. "A journey beyond 'reality'". Sunday Observer Official Website. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
6. "sadalla". sunday lankadeepa. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
7. "Derana Dream Star Season IX". TV_Derana Official Website. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
8. "What Mr. Keerthi Pasqual say about Nuwandhika?". PC World. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
9. "Obata Lanvee - Apoorwa radio drama Theme Song". FM_Derana Official Website. Archived from the original on 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
10. "Channa's 'Sanda Diya Salu', a Sri Lanka -India joint venture". www.sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
11. "CHANNA STARTS 'SANDA DIYA SALU'". daily-mirror-sri-lanka. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
12. "ක්‍රීඩාව ඉක්මවා ගිය ආදරයක්". සරසවිය-ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ජාතික කලා පුවත් පත. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
13. "SLT-MOBITEL Appoints Popular Reality Star Nuwandhika Senarathna as Brand an Ambassador". Sunday Observer Official Website. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
14. "SLT-MOBITEL Appoints Popular Reality Star Nuwandhika Senarathna as Brand an Ambassador". Ada derana biz. Retrieved 2021-09-30.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
15. "Derana Stars in Concert 2022 | Bunjil Place".
16. "Derana Stars Concert 2022". Archived from the original on 2022-07-03. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
17. "Asanwara Wessak (අසංවර වැස්සක්) - Theme Song". ITN official website. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2021-08-31.

External links

• Official website