Uresha Voice for all seasons
by Ruwini Jayawardana
 |
| Uresha with the Sarasaviya
Awards for Best Female Vocalist (2007 and 2008) and the OCIC
Award she clinched recently |
Starting off with a few verses
in the 1989 film `Shakthiya Obai Amme’, voicing the song for the
character of a little boy, Uresha Ravihari had strode along a road less
travelled to become a household name related to the screen.
The gifted young vocalist had clinched the Sarasaviya Award for Best
Female Vocalist for three consecutive years along with other accolades
such as the OCIC Award and the Presidential Award for Best Female
Vocalist.
“I began my career as a playback singer when I was eight with Sujatha
Attanayaka and Tony Hassan. It was an amazing experience. That was when
I decided that I wanted to become a playback singer,” Uresha explained
adding that she had been continuously told by those in the field that
her voice is most suited for the screen.
“I have been fortunate to get many offers to sing for films. That
motivated me to follow my dreams. Recently I rendered my voice for
`Sara’, the 74th movie in which I did a playback song. Around 15 movies
for which I did playback singing will be screened in the future.”
Uresha is equally talented at singing Hindi songs. She said that one
of the focal points of her career occurred recently when she met reputed
Indian vocalist Asha Bhosle.
“I sang two of her songs, `Churaliya’ and `Sonari’ in her presence.
She was delighted with my performance and told me that I am immensely
gifted. I will treasure that moment forever,” she recalled with
enthusiasm.
The multi-faceted young artiste had also taken up Bharatha Natyam
some years ago and even ventured into acting. She had portrayed a dual
role in `Malsara Doni’, a movie produced by her father, Dharmasri
Wickremasinghe, when she was 13. However now she says that she is happy
pursuing her first love - singing. Pointing out the differences between
singing for the screen and on stage Uresha said that singing with
emotions plays an important role in playback singing.
 She said: “A sorrowful piece should express the pain and regrets of
the character. Similarly the audience should feel the romantic aura when
a love song unspools. You need to know what kind of situation unfolds on
the screen and who will be in the episodes to do justice to your work.
It is much more difficult than voicing for a light song where emotions
need not be expressed to such a great extent.”
She hopes to begin work on a CD at the end of the month.
“It will include 16 tracks and will be released in April. I will be
touring Australia with Sunil Edirisinghe. I also wish to organize a solo
concert in which I would sing some of my most popular film songs,” she
revealed her future plans.
“Composing a successful track is a part of teamwork. The vocalist,
music composer and lyricist all contribute to this. All three of my
award winning songs were set to melody by Rohana Weerasinghe and penned
by Bandula Nanayakkarawasam and Sunil Wimalaweera. Two of the films
which included the hits were produced by Dammika Siriwardena and
directed by Udayakantha Warnasuriya (`Aasai Mang Piyabanna’) and Sanjaya
Nirmal (`Rosa Kele’),” she said. |
