There’s something about Ramona Dee!
by Nilma Dole
 “Here’s a wake up call.....when
I rise and you fall...” croons Ramona Dee, a soulful and pretty Sri
Lankan singer with enough punch and appeal to start a traffic commotion
down Galle Road. Can you believe that a young twenty-something girl of
Sri Lankan origin has actually made it to the Australian charts and is
now making waves around the world too? Exuding with natural charm and
grace, her beautiful voice sounds like crystal clear water in a gushing
stream.
Ramona, also known as Danielle, is a gifted girl who immediately can
make a friend out of you within the instant you say ‘Hi’ to her. Born to
Sri Lankan parents with a heritage of Malay and Dutch Burgher, Ramona
was born and bred in Melbourne, Australia having an older brother James
who is into film making.
Ramona, who sports a cute dimple on her cheek, has been singing from
her young days but has set the best example by doing the first thing of
studying for a double degree in Arts and Commerce at Deakin University.
It was then that she went on the internet and taught herself to play
the guitar when she finally decided that music was the food of her soul.
“My biggest passion is passion itself and I am not ashamed to say that I
am constantly running with my passions.
A magnetic pull dragged me and led me to realise some of the most
important things I would ever realise in life” she said. Today, Ramona
is learning the tricks of the musical field by studying an Advanced
Diploma of Music in Jazz/Pop at the Box Hill College of Music.
She is influenced by various female artistes in music genres like
Rhythm and Blues, Soul and Classic Jazz. “I am also inspired by old
stuff to the latest Lady Gaga song with remnants of Alicia Keys and
Norah Jones mixed in” she explains holding lovely roses courtesy Bloom
Room.
 She has also done many musicals combining theatrical elements into a
whiff of performance art. She has fronted many professional jazz and
soul bands such as Gruvacious and Backstage Rendevzous and began
recording her debut EP which has progressed into a full-fledged album.
“I write my own songs and I write from experience which means that it’s
rather powerful when it comes to me performing and brainstorming the
music for it,”she said.
Ramona can be seen in Melbourne singing at performance workshops and
is a festival performer who most recently sang at the ‘Springvale
festival’. She has also been involved with the gospel choir ‘Urban
Praise’ and is often hired as a solo artist and performs live with the
Wild Ones. Ramona mixes her sweet and subtle image with her wild side.
Though, Ramona is very charitable person and volunteers to help
improve the lives of children in developing countries, making a
significant difference. “In my lifetime, I will roam the earth for my
main passion; making an effort to change myself and the world for the
better,” she said with a dazzling smile.
Ramona is a genuine individual who has charisma that can take your
breath away and is a natural on the camera when we took pictures of her
at the latest coffee place, Coco Verandah. “Don’t be fooled by the
influences that are around you, telling you what you ‘should’ be or what
is ‘best’ for you. You need to listen to your inner-self. Once you do
that, there’ll be no doubt or regrets in your life, no what ifs’ and no
pressures.” She added, “I promise you that if you follow these
principles and overcame the obstacles that hinder your progress, you
will soon be on your way!” she advises.
You can check her songs out on the Australian music website for
budding artistes called Reverbnation where not only ‘Wake Up Call’ is
the most popular subtle song about how it’s like to wake up and come to
grips with breaking up in a relationship while her more upbeat ‘Smoke
and Lights’ is a catchy tune that is just right to make a run to the
disco floor for! ‘Just a Taste’ also has that edgy feel to it and can be
really played on your iPod when you need to be happy.
 Ramona’s father is no stranger to the music industry being the great
singer Alston Koch who was introduced to the World Music Audience at the
MTV awards night in 2005 by Alicia Keys as ‘a legend and superstar’.
At the same time, he is also an ambassador of Tourism for Sri Lanka,
promoting our country in any way he can with lots of feel-good songs.
Ramona’s mother is a former Miss Ceylon 1970 Yoland Ahlip and her looks
are blessed to her mixed ethnicity and her Australian accent makes her
as international as a star can get.
“I’m still true to my origins as a Sri Lankan and I love my country!”
she says with emphasis. As for the future, Ramona Dee might be the next
best thing to hit the world since Justin Bieber! The Sunday Observer
magazine wishes Ramona good luck for signing on with one of the big
record labels in the world and hope she takes her Sri Lankan voice to
greater heights internationally!
Special thanks to Sarath of Coco Verandah and Bloom Room for their
help! |
