The Voice Sri Lanka is a singing competition reality television program from Sri Lanka, broadcast on Sirasa TV. It premiered on 21 November 2020 and has continued airing with yearly seasons ever since.[1] The series is based on the original Dutch singing competition, The Voice of Holland, created by media tycoon John de Mol Jr., and is part of a larger international franchise.[2]
Contestants are selected by a panel of four judges (known as "coaches") who face away from the contestants, judging the singers solely on their voice. If a coach wants the performing contestant on their team, they press a button which turns their chair, revealing the singer’s appearance. If more than one coach turns, the contestant chooses which coach's team to join.[3]
The coaches have varied across seasons. In Seasons One and Two, the panel included Bathiya and Santhush, Kasun Kalhara, Sashika Nisansala, and Umaria Sinhawansa.[4] Season Two introduced a fifth coach, Supun Perera, who led a "Comeback Stage" team.[5] Season Three replaced the original four with new coaches: Supun Perera, Mihindu Ariyaratne, Raini Charuka, and Hirushi Jayasena. The coaches guide their teams through multiple stages of competition. The show follows the success of its predecessor, The Voice Teens, which gained massive fame in Sri Lanka,[6] spawning spin-offs like The Voice Kids.[7]
The show’s first season premiered on 21 November 2020; Season Two concluded on 21 May 2023. The series has produced three winners: Harith Wijeratne (Team Umaria),[8] Rameesh Sashinka (Ramiya) (Team Supun), and Imesh Sandeepa (Team Supun).[9] Winners are chosen by television viewers voting via SMS.
Overview
The Voice is a globally acclaimed reality singing competition that first originated in the Netherlands. Unlike traditional talent shows, its core philosophy focuses exclusively on vocal quality rather than physical appearance. While the international format typically features four coaches, The Voice Sri Lanka uniquely expanded the lineup to include a fifth coach, adding a fresh dynamic to the local production.
Blind Auditions
The journey begins with the high-stakes Blind Auditions. Coaches sit in iconic "turned-away" chairs, judging contestants based purely on their voice. If a coach is impressed, they press the "I Want You" button to rotate their chair.
The Power of Choice: If multiple coaches turn, the contestant chooses which team to join.[10]
The Block Button: To increase the competition, coaches have a "Block" button on their console. A coach can use this once per season to prevent a rival coach from recruiting a specific contestant. The blocked coach can still turn their chair, but they are disqualified from being chosen by that artist. This often leads to humorous and intense "sabotage" moments between the Sri Lankan coaches.
Battle Rounds
Once teams are formed, coaches pair two of their own artists to perform a powerful duet. After the performance, the coach must make the difficult decision of who stays. To keep the stakes high, each coach is granted a "Steal," allowing them to save a contestant eliminated by another coach and bring them onto their own team.[10]
Knockouts (Ranking Chairs)
Unlike other versions where coaches simply pick a winner from a pair, the Sri Lankan Knockouts[10] often use the Ranking Chairs system.[11]
Each team has a limited number of "Hot Seats" (usually three or four).
After an artist performs, the coach decides if they deserve a chair.
If all chairs are full and a better singer performs later, the coach can replace someone already sitting down.
A contestant is only safe once the final artist on their team has finished singing.
The Super Knockouts
In some seasons, a Super Knockouts round is introduced to narrow the field even further before the live broadcasts. This is a high-pressure stage where only the "best of the best" survive, often involving head-to-head performances where multiple artists are sent home at once.
Play-Offs (or Sing-Offs)
This is the final hurdle before the Live Shows. The remaining artists perform individually, and the coach must make their final cuts. This determines the elite group that will represent the coach when the public voting begins.
The Live Shows
Unlike the earlier rounds, the Live Shows are divided into several stages where the public finally gets to vote via SMS.
LiveShows: These are often the first one or two weeks of live broadcasts. A large group (like the Top 32 or Top 24) performs, and several artists are eliminated based on a mix of coach saves and public votes.
Quarter-Finals: The competition tightens. Only the strongest performers remain, and the production value increases with bigger sets and more dancers.
Semi-Finals: The "Penultimate" stage. Each coach usually has only two artists left. The nation votes to decide which single artist from each team will head to the finale.
The Grand Finale
The season ends with a massive live event. Finalists perform popular hit songs and duets with their coaches. The winner is decided 100% by the public vote, earning the title of "The Voice" and a life-changing cash prize.[10]
Season 3 Highlights
Season 3 of The Voice Sri Lanka is noted for being a transformative year for the franchise, introducing significant strategic gameplay and local technical innovations that elevated the production to international standards.
Strategic Innovations: The "Block Button"
The primary addition to the format in Season 3 was the Block Button[12]. During the Blind Auditions, each coach was given the power to prevent a rival from recruiting a contestant.
Mechanism: A coach could "block" another even if that rival had already turned their chair. The blocked coach's LED floor display would change to "BLOCKED," disqualifying them from being selected by the artist.
Competitive Impact: This led to a more aggressive scouting phase, notably between veteran coach Supun Perera and newcomer Mihindu Ariyaratne, adding a layer of strategic tension that became a signature of the season.
Technical Achievements
For the first time in the series, the studio set was designed and built entirely in Sri Lanka at Stein Studios.
Advanced Technology: The production utilized high-definition multi-camera setups and an innovative LED-integrated stage that allowed for immersive visual storytelling for each performance.
Global Recognition: The quality of the production resulted in several performances being featured on the official The Voice Global platform, showcasing Sri Lankan technical and vocal talent to a worldwide audience.
Record-Breaking Grand Finale
The finale, held on 14 June 2025[13], was a landmark event in Sri Lankan broadcasting history, acclaimed as the biggest television show in the country's history.
Viewership: The event achieved record-breaking ratings, fueled by high-intensity social media engagement and a massive volume of live SMS voting.
Key Performances: The night featured a mix of local and international hits. The eventual winner, Imesh Sandeepa, delivered a standout performance that was cited by critics as a defining moment of the season.
Final Standings:
Winner: Imesh Sandeepa (Team Supun)
Runner-up: Isaac Timothy (Team Raini)
Finalists: Rasindu Mihisara (Team Mihindu) and Lisara Fernando (Team Hirushi)
Coach Milestones
Coach Supun Perera made history by securing back-to-back victories (Season 2 and Season 3), establishing himself as one of the most successful mentors in the regional franchise.[14]
The season marked the coaching debuts of Hirushi Jayasena, Raini Charuka, and Mihindu Ariyaratne, successfully transitioning the show into a new era.
Coaches
Umaria Sinhawansa – A celebrated Sri Lankan singer known for her powerful vocals and stage presence. She was a coach in Seasons 1 and 2, and led Team Umaria to victory in Season 1.
Bathiya and Santhush (BNS) – A musical duo famous for blending Sinhala pop with hip-hop and R&B. They coached during Seasons 1 and 2 and were instrumental in mentoring finalists.
Kasun Kalhara – A soulful vocalist and composer known for his emotional ballads. Kasun was a coach in the first two seasons.
Sashika Nisansala – A classically trained vocalist with a strong background in playback singing. She coached in Seasons 1 and 2.
Supun Perera – Initially introduced as the “Fifth Coach” for the Comeback Stage in Season 2. He became a full-time coach and led Team Supun to back-to-back wins in Seasons 2 and 3.
Mihindu Ariyaratne – A prominent pop-rock artist known for his energetic performances. He debuted as a coach in Season 3.
Raini Charuka – A pop singer and entertainer with deep roots in the local music industry, joined the panel in Season 3.
Hirushi Jayasena – Known for her versatility and youth appeal, Hirushi was one of the new coaches in Season 3.
Hosts
Dinithi Walgamage – A television presenter who hosted the Blind Auditions in Season 1.
Kingsley Rathnayake – Took over hosting duties during the Battle Rounds in Season 1.
Sumiran Dhananjaya Gunasekara – The main host from Season 1 finals onwards, including all of Seasons 2 and 3. He is known for his clear presentation style and musical background.
Winners
Harith Wijeratne (Season 1, Team Umaria) – Gained national attention for his emotional singing style and technical control. He has since performed at multiple national events and concerts.
Rameesh Sashinka (Ramiya) (Season 2, Team Supun) – Known for his unique voice and dynamic stage presence. He won over audiences with powerful rock and pop performances.
Imesh Sandeepa (Season 3, Team Supun) – A standout from the auditions, Imesh became known for his vocal range and charisma, eventually winning the grand finale in 2025.
Known for stage presence and performance coaching.
Hirushi Jayasena
3
0
1
Youngest coach; social media appeal.
Coaches' Gallery
BnS
Kasun Kalhara
Umaria Sinhawansa
Hirushi Jayasena
Reception
The franchise has been a massive success in Sri Lanka. Three versions run concurrently: The Voice Sri Lanka, The Voice Teens, and The Voice Kids. Performances on YouTube garner millions of views, including promotional and post-performance content known as "V Clapper". The official YouTube channel had over 684 million views as of October 2023.[2]
Shortly after Season One began, the judges recorded a collaborative promotional single covering Pandit W.D. Amaradeva's 1978 song "Nim Him Sewwa," mixing Sinhalese and English lyrics. It amassed over 1 million views.[15] Coach Umaria regularly includes the song in her live setlists.[16]
↑M Entertainments [@MEntertainmentsPL] (28 November 2020). "Nim Him Sewwa (නිම් හිම් සෙව්වා) - The Voice Sri Lanka Edition - BnS | Kasun | Umaria | Shashika". via YouTube. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
↑Marians (30 April 2021). "Umaria Sinhawansa (උමාරියා) - Trico වසන්තය with MARIANS". via YouTube. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
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