The intricate emotional process which is very much a sensible process is also automatic when it comes to innately gifted singers such as Anushka Madubashini. Anushka hails from ‘Devata’ a small village close to Galle, a past pupil of Sangamitta Girls College Galle. She had been handicapped from her young days since her father’s demise when she was in Grade three. Calamity struck her family as her mother had to boost the family which comprised of another younger sister against many limitations.
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| Anushka Madubashini |
Anushka was however determined to excel in studies and art accomplishing many milestones in music at school. As a teenager won several All -Island awards consecutively in singing from year 2003 to 2008.She possesses a wide vocal range.
The exposure of innate abilities to sing was after her performances in Derana Dream Star season two, eight years ago. She was a forerunner for the title, however owing to the rampant SMS precedent she was eliminated. It is pertinent to cite that Anushka gathered accolades from specific invites like Vasantha Dukgannarala,Lakshman Wijesekera,Indrani Perera,Annesly Malewena,Bathiya and Santhush etc. The former quipped that Anushka possesses a traditional folk voice while the latter duo were delighted with her voice and singing style added that she sings with a lot of soul for the audience to “feel” which a singer should possess
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Anushka won Sri Lanka youth awards in singing category in years 2014 and 2015.She is a very peculiar breed of species of human pursuit dislikes fame and celebrity but who desires to stay low profile. She is very reserved do not speak much. After her triumph in the Dream Star contest when there was ample prospect for her to rise to stardom. Anushka had snubbed offers astonishing many in the field. Her voyage in this established field was snail’s tempo with no intention for monetary gains.
She hardly sang on stage but only selected to sing at only random and for charity. What was haunting in her was to pursue a University degree. Her dream was met when she was selected to the University of Visual and Performing Arts. After graduation she opted initially for a year to be the music teacher at the Lyceum International School in Galle. However, she wished as prudent to accept a post of visiting lecturer at the University of Visual and Performing Arts to date. Her contemporary aspiration on which she is working on now is to read for a PhD in Ethnomusicology in an overseas University in USA or Germany. When she achieves this ambition Anushka wish would be to impart her vast expertise to Sri Lankan music as the first in Sri Lanka conferred on a PhD in her field.
Owing to her busy schedule in travelling to and from Colombo and with her University obligations, during her last few years she had only concentrated in working in “Derana Dell Studio” with Mahesh Denipitiya whom she asserts as her maestro also at Singhagiri studio. Anushka had toured Melbourne once with the sponsorship of Derana in year 2010, twice in the latter years toured all states in Australia with the Mahesh Denepitiya orchestra where she was primarily a chorus singer. It was only in February this year she participated in the Mahesh Denepitiya’s “Hitz Beatz” at Nelum Pokuna theatre. The justification of Anushka’s snail’s tempo stance is well illustrated by the reality that Anushka’s first song “Ridunu then jeevithe bomai” which was officially launched last year.The music direction was by Aruna Gunawardena and lyrics by Amila Thenuwara She won the best music award in State music awards for this song in year 2018.
In the context of the above it would be the fervent wish of all music lovers to recognise Anushka’s desires in her coveted music journey.
Sunil Thenabadu via e mail sthenabadu@hotmail.com in Brisbane.
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