Abhisheka: Multi faceted personality – By Sunil Thenabadu
Being able to control pitch to develop further is one of the prime fundamental aspects of singing. We know that a good singer like Abhisheka Wimalaweera typically should possess exceeding control over the pitch of her voice singing sans strain going through her range with relative ease. Since she was a toddler her parents Sunil and Damayanthi Wimalaweera ,the former film director, lyricist and author, while the latter a pioneer reputed cosmetic beautician had identified her innate talents for singing. The duo had been adamant to pursue a singing career for their only child. Perhaps she may have also inherited skills of renowned announcer Sarath Wimalaweera her ‘Loku Thaththa’.
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As she grew up, she had improved her vocal control under the guidance of her mentor Sangeeth Nipun Sanath Nandasiri at his music school, which had made a huge impact on her talents with different vital elements of singing such as pitch, breath control, sustainability and so on to become an accomplished film and playback singer.
Abhisheka was born on 11th November 1988 at eleven past eleven, very significantly rarefied number as 11/11/11/11 .During her early life was very unfortunate as her father attached to UDA as a Director was politically victimised for fourteen years. Although there were many drawbacks, none of them were made felt to Abhisheka. She had received her initial education at Sacred Heart Convent Galle for three years and then at St. Paul’s, Milagiriya. There had been a period of two years when Abhi was compelled to stay at home sans a school which had been a very agonising factor for father. The family had to navigate over many obstacles after politically victimised.
After leaving school in year 2006 Abhisheka received Sangeet Visharad from Bathkhande Music Institute, Lucknow, India. Thereafter in year 2013 she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from the University of Colombo. She joined the University of Colombo as a music lecturer in 2019, thereafter in year 2020 completed a Master’s degree in Music at the Kelaniya University.
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Before her marriage to Electrical Engineer, Gayan Nirantha Alahakoon (Niran to many) from Matale, She has had means to put up a two storey dwelling, designed by herself. She fulfilled her life’s ambition to look after her parents when she was still young. She has confessed that it was her father who was her mighty shadow and all successes achieved are owed to him. She had confessed that even when she had disliked going for a new event; it was her father who insisted and persuades her.
The duo was blessed with a daughter in year 2014 named Fairy Abhilasya Alahakoon. One fervent wish of Abhisheka after birth of her daughter was primarily to give her the best education possible as her journey was along a thorny path with obstacles to hurdle.
Abhisheka was on her way to stardom to the pinnacle in popularity becoming a sought-after singer for films, tele dramas as a playback singer with an ideal tonal screen voice, also, for her own songs mostly videos viewed by millions on ‘YouTube’. Her playback singing career had begun with the song ‘Mangalam Pathala’, in film Sanjana in 2009, ‘Nil Nuwan Pathu Sema’ in film ‘Sinasuna Adaren’ in year 2011, ‘Prarthana Bindee’ in film ‘Challenges’, in year 2014 ‘Hawasaka Ma’ in film ‘Rupantharana’, in year 2018, ‘Madu Sandakan’ in film ‘Wassanaye Sanda’, ‘Double Trouble’, and ‘Ethuwath be Nethuwath be’.
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Abhisheka’s video song ‘Chandra Mandale’ a reply song to the lyrics of Rathna Sri Wijesinghe with over four hundred thousand You- Tube viewers was a real hit.
Then her theme songs for tele dramas also need to be stressed. In ‘Ama’ tele drama the theme song ‘Dekapul Kandulen’ was as popular as the theme songs for tele dramas ‘Rejina’ ‘Siththaravi’.
It needs to be emphasised that lyrics of all her solo songs with video were written by herself V.I.Z., ‘Nissara’, ‘Ridi Ridee’, ‘Aye Numba Ne kiya’, ‘Kaha Pata Arunalie’ and ‘Seema Nehe’. Other than the song ‘Nethra’, most of her songs possessing her father’s inherited talent. Her Father had induced her to sing mostly classical songs emulating the legendary singers Pandit Amaradeva and Visharada Nanda Malini.
When Abhisekha was very young on father’s insistence she was selected to ITN’s Children’s programmes initially ‘Lahiru Mandala’, ‘Samanala Uyana’, ‘Sellam Gedera’. ‘Hedakara Sandyawa’, ‘Dedunu Hendewa’, ‘Lassana Gedera’ which are early reminiscences of Abhisheka’s multifaceted talents.
Abhisheka’s saddest day in life was when his so loved father passed away in December 2015 after a brief illness succumbing to dreaded cancer, when he had been so healthy, hale and hearty throughout his life.
Abhi was in a way happy as she was able to fulfill her father’s dreams by becoming a lecturer in music.
As many know Abhisheka is not only a singer, a lyrics writer and an author but above all she is a successful entrepreneur cum fashion designer having established her own concept initially ‘Abhi Fashions’ then ‘Abhi TOP to TOE well-being’ launched in year 2013. In addition she also has an established fashion entrepreneur tilting emphasis on ‘Kurta and Jeans’ sporting for western looks and body shapes.
Abhi has from year 2020 shown prowess as an author emulating her late father. Her second novel ‘Karmaja’ is set to release soon. Her first poetry book ‘Mathaka’ was also released in year 2020.
Currently Abhisheka is a final year student of the Ayurvedic Skin Specialist programme conducted by the Maharagama Medical Council.
In the context of the foregoing, it would be the fervent hope of all Abhisheka followers that she should climb to taller heights until the pinnacle is reached in the fields of singing , lyric writing, authoring , lecturing in music, fashion well-being and skin care.
– Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
