Dhara was born in London and is of Sri Lankan heritage. Her outlook on life was shaped very early on as a young child when her mother ( who was a teacher in Central London), escaped an extremely violent and abusive husband. Her mother, unusually for that time (70s), then bought a house on her own. This at a time when a man’s signature was required for such a purchase!!! She grew up in a single parent household where her father paid no maintenance. Dhara’s passion for all things London was formed very early on in her childhood.

She was academic and artistic at school. She studied Law at London University (SOAS) where a conventional Law degree was interspersed with learning about how laws ( both official and customary) worked in other cultures. She qualified as a solicitor.

She always enjoyed singing and writing songs. She was regularly given the “lead” at school”. Her very first gig was at Ronnie Scotts. However, her mother became very ill at the start of her legal career and as the love for her mother prevailed, She gave up her legal career and along with that, she gave up her aspiring musical career too. She became a carer for 11.5 years until her mother passed away.

During her mother’s protracted illness, She retrained as a counsellor and family mediator ( enabling part time and flexible working), undertook and managed a couple of small building projects and was able to work part time all whilst also being the only carer for her mother.

She has since undertaken and managed several further small building projects, met her husband, had her kids, opened a coffee shop - amongst a myriad of other things!! She calls herself a “Jack of all Trades” !!!

An empty nester now,  She is enjoying writing songs and performing again. Her performances are warm, entertaining and interspersed with anecdotes and personal stories from a very varied life!!