Beginning

By age 11, Umaria became serious about pursuing a music career, where she performed with her sister Umara for a large audience and that was her entry into the professional music industry.^[13] When she was in school, she learned to sing Arabic. Then she did few songs with Sri Lankan music producer Sri Shyamalangan. She later joined with popular music duo Bathiya and Santhush (BnS) for a song of the Arabic genre which is called Shaheena.^[14] After the song, she collaborated with BnS again for the film playback Pathu Pem Pathum for the film Asai Man Piyabanna.^[15] The song became a super hit and made her turning point of the career.^[16] In 2007, she became the youngest singer to ever be nominated for the Best Female Playback Singer at Sarasaviya Awards. Then she voiced for films, TV commercials, and teledrama theme songs. In 2009, she voiced the theme song for the television serial Gehenu Lamai.^[17] Her second song was "Gum Nade" for the movie Rosa Kele and both songs were commercially successful.^[18]

In 2010, aged 16, Umaria participated in an International Singing Competition, Pan Asia Music Festival 2010 representing Sri Lanka, which was held in Beijing, China.^[19] In the competition, she sang "Hello" by Adele and "Listen" by Beyoncé.^[20] She later won the first place from semi-finals and she was able to win Silver medal from the whole competition. Then she was invited again to an international competition, which was in Turkey, where she was the only Asian contestant. In that competition, she won the bronze medal. After the competition, a Swedish record label joined with Umaria for many singles. Later she participated in the Crimea Music Fest in Ukraine with her sister. They both did an original song named My Dreams,^[4] and they remade the song, Halo by Beyoncé.^[5] Later, they won third palace from that competition.^{[citation needed]} In 2010, Sinhawansa had performed on International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA Awards) with BnS.^[21] She also shared the same stage with Indian musicians, Asha Bhosle^[22] and Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy. In 2018, Umaria got honoured by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the song Vaishnav Jana to, a musical tribute to Mahatma Gandhi's 150th Birth Anniversary.^[23][24]

Success

After winning many international competitions, she was back in Sri Lanka, where she joined with the Ashanthi School of Music conducted by Ashanthi De Alwis. During this period, she featured with Randhir Witana for the song, Mal Madahasa.^[25] In 2014 she featured with Devashrie de Silva for the song, Nidahase Inna^[26] and many BnS collaborations such as Kavikariye, Baila Gamuda Remix Karala, Hinipeththata, Hitha Wawannema Na etc.^[27] In 2013, she performed on 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2013) opening ceremony.^[28] In the meantime, she made a duet with prominent musician W. D. Amaradeva, few years before his demise.^[29]

In 2015, Umariya made her first original hit, Denuwan Piya.^[30] It was produced by BnS and the song was commercially successful. Meanwhile, she became a judge for the singing reality show, Sirasa Superstar.^[31] Then she joined with celebrity reality show "Hiru Mega Stars" for the team "Sooryans" along with Yureni Noshika, Himali Sayurangi, Asanka Perera, Pathum Rukshan, Piyumi Botheju and Akila Dhanuddara.^[32][33] In 2017, she joined with the reality program "Youth with Talent – Generation Next" as a guest judge.^[34] In 2018, she released a single, Malak Nowe,^[35] and then featured with Ruwan Hettiarachchi for the song Hiru Mal Kiniththak Dara.^[36] In the same year, she made playback singing for the film Bimba Devi alias Yashodhara.^[37] After that song, she became an A-Grade singer at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. She is the youngest to achieve the feat. Then she collaborated with BnS for the album Oba Nisa and toured for the Oba Nisa concert.^[38][39]

In 2019, she made playback singing for the blockbuster Vijayaba Kollaya, directed by Sunil Ariyaratne.^[40] In the same year, she premiered her single, Rangume ^[41] on 9 August. On 11 December 2019, she collaborated with BnS and Sanuka Wickramasinghe for the song Saragi Asille.^[42] During the pandemic, she performed the first Driving Concert in Sri Lanka.^[43] On 3 July 2020, she released the solo "Manda Pama"^[7] which was recorded in France. The song reached 2 million views within first two days and later 10 million views on YouTube. The song also ranked number 1# in iTunes and Apple Music in Sri Lanka as well as received international recognition. In November 2020, she joined the coaching panel of the reality show "The Voice Sri Lanka".Umaria is also known for her role as a coach on the televised singing competition The Voice Sri Lanka and She is the winning coach of the season 2021 ^[44] In the meantime, on 4 February 2021, she released her next single Yuda Gini Dumaraya as a tribute to war heroes.^[45] While working on "The Voice Sri Lanka" competition, she released the song Rathu Eli.^[46] She also made cameo appearances in the films Dancing Stars and Spandana.

Television Shows

Originals

Popular Music Videos

Collaborations

Playback singing

Philanthropy and activism

On May 14, 2020, Umaria was involved in a Sri Lankan Government effort to promote COVID-19 Prevention among people in Sri Lanka. She sang the song, Itukama to educate the people how COVID-19 prevention works in Sri Lanka.^[52] And she performed with BnS in many apartment complexes following health safety measures, to make people mentally fit during the lockdown with the help of Sri Lankan Government.^[53]

She has opened up a social media page, called one promise to talk to people who are struggling with depression and other mental issues.^[54]

Brand ambassadorships and endorsements

2015, Umaria signed up for SLTMobitel and voiced many songs promoting this networking brand.^[55] In 2018, she signed up as brand ambassador for Signal toothpaste and she voiced their brand's theme song, Sina Bo Wewa.^[56] Meantime she was a brand ambassador of Sunlight (cleaning product) and She voiced the song Manu dam Viyamana with various artists.^[57]

In 2020 Beauty Brand, British Cosmetic sponsored her song, Manda Pama.After the huge success of the song, on 21 November 2020, they announced Umaria as their new, main brand ambassador.^[58] She mainly endorses the product Discover the Power of Gold - Prevense Advanced Gold Therapy and many of British cosmetics.^[59] After she was named as a brand ambassador with others for the food and drink brand, Nestlé Sri Lanka's Nestamolt campaign. In the meantime, they released an advertisement showcasing a campaign between the company and Umaria with some of the proceeds going to "organizations that seek to improve people's health as well as mental and emotional well-being.^[60] Dialog Axiata signed Umaria as their brand ambassador, for Dialog Fun Blaster campaign and they collaborated with her song Manda Pama.^[61] On Mar 12, 2021, the phone brand Oppo announced Umaria as their brand ambassador,^[62] she is currently endorsing the OPPO F19 Pro.^[63]