Ashanthi De Alwis Explained

Ashanthi
Birth Place:	Colombo, Sri Lanka
Genre:	Hip hop, crunk&B, folkhop
Occupation:	Rapper, singer, songwriter
Years Active:	2002–present
Label:	Sony Music, Universal Music, M Entertainments
Associated Acts:	BnS, Randhir, Ranidu Lankage, Umaria Sinhawansa

Ashanthi De Alwis (Sinhala:අශාන්ති ද අල්විස්), known simply as Ashanthi, is a Sri Lankan rapper, singer and songwriter. She is the only Sri Lankan female rapper who signed with international record labels Sony Music and Universal Music in 2006.^[1] ^[2] ^[3] She began her career as a rapper with BnS, and continued that role after achieving solo success.

Career

Ashanthi's first major label album was as half of the duo Ashanthi n' Ranidu, with the album Oba Magemai released in 2002 through M Entertainments.^[4] Her debut solo album Sandawathuren was released in 2006.^[5] ^[6] This was the first hip hop solo album to be released by a Sri Lankan female.^[1] Her general style of music is ethnic hip hop with massive market appeal. Sandawathuren was sung in Sinhala, with the exception of two English songs.^[6]

Ashanthi has toured internationally in countries throughout Europe, North America, Australasia and Asia.^[7] In 2008, Dialog signed up Ashanthi to be a brand ambassador for their pre-paid brand KIT.^[8]

At the 2013 Derana Music Video Awards, Ashanthi won the award for 'Best Hip Hop Video' for Alawanthiyak.^[9] She also recorded the 11th anniversary jingles for Y FM, Sri Lanka in November 2016.From 2020 onwards she joined the widely popular The Voice teens (Sri Lanka) as a coach.

2013–present: "Rock the World" and international recognition

Ashanthi released her first English Language Album 'Rock the World' in August 2013, aiming for an international market. The lead single off the album was 'Let's Give Peace a Chance', which was also recorded in Sinhala with additional vocals by Benny Dayal.

Television Shows

Year	Title	Channel	Language	Role
2020	The Voice Teens Sri Lanka(Season 1)	Sirasa TV	Sinhala	Coach - Herself
2023	Derana Dream Star(Season 11)	TV Derana	Sinhala	Judge - Herself

Discography

Albums

Oba Magemai (with Ranidu), Sony Music, 2002
Sandawathuren, Universal Music, 2006
Rock the World, Universal Music, 2013
Daas Panawa, Universal Music, 2014

External links

Notes and References

Web site: Infinite Success . 12 September 2008 . 19 November 2006 . The Sunday Times . 18 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100918143559/http://sundaytimes.lk/061119/Mirror/mr605.html . live .
Web site: Ashanthi to perform in London, Goa and India . 12 September 2008 . Daily News . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604150725/http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/10/28/fea21.asp . 4 June 2011 .
Web site: Play that funky music . 12 September 2008 . Mirror Magazine (The Sunday Times) . 15 October 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101015014344/http://sundaytimes.lk/060319/mirror/1.html . live .
Web site: Ashanthi and Ranidu. 12 September 2008 . 12 January 2006 . Sunday Observer .
Web site: It's all in a song . 12 September 2008 . 25 October 2006 . Morning Leader . https://web.archive.org/web/20080113071316/http://www.themorningleader.lk/20061025/Travel.html . 13 January 2008 . dead .
Web site: Ashanthi uncovered . 12 September 2008 . 29 November 2006 . Sri Lankan Daily Mirror . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070130112315/http://www.dailymirror.lk/inside/entert/29112006.asp . 30 January 2007 .
Web site: In a sense I am a solo artist – Ashanthi . 12 September 2008 . 10 March 2007 . Daily News . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100525044952/http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/03/10/fea20.asp . 25 May 2010 .
Web site: Ashanthi and Chinthy sign up as KIT's new brand ambassadors. 12 September 2008. Sunday Observer. https://web.archive.org/web/20090821110957/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2006/10/15/mag03.asp. 21 August 2009. live.
Web site: Art & Soul . https://web.archive.org/web/20080426195421/http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/04/22/fea10.asp . dead . 26 April 2008 . 12 September 2013 . 22 April 2013 . Daily News .