Jul 10 2026.
views 12Creating a meaningful platform for young and aspiring performers in Sri Lanka
By Kshalini Nonis
Raise Your Mic 2026, an annual singing competition organised by the Voice Print Academy, will be held on 12 July 2026 at the Shoppes at City of Dreams Sri Lanka. This year, it will be more meaningful as they are opening the platform to aspiring performers from across Sri Lanka. We had a chat with Dilan Irugalabandara Founder/ Director of the Voice Print Academy.
Q Can you tell us about Raise Your Mic 2026 presented by the Voice Print Academy? What can we expect on 12 July 2026 when aspiring performers from across Sri Lanka gather at the Shoppes at City of Dreams Sri Lanka?
Raise Your Mic 2026 is our annual singing competition organised by the Voice Print Academy, and this year it is bigger and more meaningful as we have opened the platform to aspiring performers from across Sri Lanka.
On 12 July 2026, participants can expect a full day of auditions, learning, exposure, workshops, music, and creative experiences at The Shoppes at City of Dreams Sri Lanka.
We are grateful to The Shoppes at City of Dreams Sri Lanka for being our venue sponsor.
Raise Your Mic is not simply a competition day. It is a platform where singers, groups, and aspiring artists can meet, learn, perform, and grow together in a professional environment.
Q Tell us briefly about the Voice Print Academy.
The Voice Print Academy ( VPA) started as a music education academy, but has grown into a wider performing arts academy that embraces many different art forms.
At VPA, we strongly believe that students should learn from professionals who are already active in the Industry.
Our instructors are not only teachers but also practising professionals who are currently involved in the music and performing arts industries.
Apart from vocals, piano, drums, and guitar, The VPA has also collaborated with the Gustav Mahler Orchestra to offer lessons across a wider range of instruments.
We have also opened our doors to many other disciplines, including different styles of dance, karate, and other creative performance-based art forms.
Through Raise Your Mic 2026, we hope to create a meaningful platform for young and aspiring performers in Sri Lanka. We want not merely to discover talent but also to nurture it.
The VPA currently operates in Colombo, Wattala, and Negombo, and also offers online lessons for students overseas. Our aim is to groom every student to become the best version of themselves in whatever discipline they choose.
Q You said that while the audition marks the beginning of the competition, it is only one part of the journey. Can you explain this?
The audition is where the competition begins, but Raise Your Mic is not only about selecting winners. It is about creating a complete experience for every participant.
Through the planned Star Camp workshops and activities, participants will be exposed to many important areas of performance.
We want each participant to experience the process of preparation, performance, learning, and self-discovery.
Even if someone does not move forward in the competition, they will still leave with a valuable experience.
Q Tell us about Star Camp running alongside the auditions and its belief that every participant should leave with something valuable.
Star Camp is a series of workshops and creative activities happening alongside the Raise Your Mic auditions. It was created because we believe every participant should gain something valuable from the day.
Not everyone may win a competition but all of them can learn something.
Q What will the day mainly comprise for the participants?
The day will mainly include registration, auditions, Star Camp workshops, creative activities, open mic opportunities, and interaction with facilitators and music professionals.
Q Can you tell us briefly about the workshops and what you hope to achieve through it?
The workshops are designed to support performers in areas that go beyond just singing a song. They will cover topics such as vocal preparation, stage confidence, artist identity, performance movement, songwriting harmony, vocal effects, beatboxing, sound and mic technique, and handling stage fear.
Through these workshops, we hope to help participants understand performance as a complete art form.
Q Who are some of the main lineup of facilitators, together with the faculty of Voice Print Academy, who will enable the sharing of knowledge?
The main lineup of facilitators includes the faculty of the Voice Print Academy, who will conduct the Vocal Warm-ups and Preparation Workshop, along with several professionals who bring expertise from different areas of performance and the music industry.
The workshops will be facilitated by Voice Print Academy, Mihindu Ariyaratne for the Artist Identity Workshop, Onara De Silva for Performance Movement and Choreography, Shalindra Perera for Vocal Effects, Harmony and Acapella, Julius Mitchell for Beatboxing, Sankha B for Songwriting, and Pearlbay Institute for Sound and Mic Techniques.
Q What are the categories of the performers?
The competition categories are:
This allows performers of different age groups and levels to take part in a suitable category.
Q Can you tell us about the whole experience in itself such as lessons learnt?
The whole experience teaches participants much more than just singing. It teaches them preparation, discipline, confidence, teamwork, stage presence, punctuality, and the courage to perform in front of others.
Through Raise Your Mic, they learn how to handle pressure, receive feedback, and continue improving.
These are lessons that help them not only in music but also in life.
Q We live in an era where young people often look for instant success. Does Raise Your Mic 2026 offer something different?
Yes, absolutely. Raise Your Mic is not built around instant fame. It is built around growth. Today, many young people see the final result online, but they do not always see the hard work, discipline, training, rejection, and consistency behind it. Through this platform, we want to show young performers that real success takes time and commitment.
Raise Your Mic gives them a chance to start that journey with the right mindset.
Q Finally, tell us what you hope to achieve through Raise Your Mic 2026.
Through Raise Your Mic 2026, we hope to create a meaningful platform for young and aspiring performers in Sri Lanka. We do not want merely to discover talent but also to nurture it.
Our goal is to give performers a professional experience. We would like to thank everyone who supported to organize this event - The Shoppes at City of Dreams Sri Lanka our venue sponsor, Wijeya Newspapers our official print media sponsor, E FM our radio partner and Yamaha Music Centre and Pearlbay Institute for coming on board to sponsor gifts and support the participants of this event.
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