Five Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Artists you need on your Radar

No matter how hard they have to try, these trailblazing artists are forging a name for themselves.

For centuries, Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals have made significant contributions to the music industry with little to no recognition. Arguably one of the most influential and fundamental musicians in the world, Ludwig van Beethoven, was deaf. He began to lose his hearing at age 28, and by 40, it was completely gone. However, the determined maestro continued to compose, writing his most famous symphony, Symphony No. 9, while fully deaf. Despite Beethoven’s resilience and his remarkable feat of composing without hearing, discussions about him often overlook his deafness, and other extraordinary deaf musicians face a detrimental lack of acknowledgment and appreciation. 

In an effort to combat this, here are five Deaf and hard-of-hearing musicians you need on your radar. 

Mandy Harvey

You may recognize the name Mandy Harvey from season 12 of America’s Got Talent where judge Simon Cowell awarded her the prestigious golden buzzer. Performing her original song, “Try,” Harvey brought the crowd and judges to their feet with roaring applause. She made it to the finals and placed fourth overall. 

Harvey attended school for vocal and music education but lost her hearing at age 18 after falling sick. She began to mourn her old life, watching as her musical dreams faded into an impossible reality. One day, however, Harvey realized she could still create music by using a guitar tuner to check her pitch. 

She released her latest album, Paper Cuts, in 2022, featuring hit songs such as “Something I Can Feel” and “Masterpiece.” The entire album is a musical delight from start to finish and showcases Harvey’s immense talent and perseverance. 

Harvey’s inspiring story was included in the 2023 documentary, HERO. 

Sean Forbes

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Sean Forbes lost almost all his hearing when he was only a year old. Yet, he still developed a deep connection to music. Forbes grew up in a musical family, and his parents gifted him a drum set when he was five years old. His passion only grew from there. In high school, he played in a band with his friends, but he quickly realized breaking into the industry as a Deaf individual would be difficult.

Forbes attended the Detroit Music Awards where he met Joel Martin, a recording studio owner and publisher of famous rapper, Eminem. Martin handed Forbes a paper that read “Free Eminem tickets, E-mail me.” This prompted Forbes to contact Martin about a potential job at the studio, which led to a year-long conversation between the two. 

Forbes reached out to a friend to help him create a music video of him signing Eminem's song, “Lose Yourself.” Forbes was invited to Martin’s studio to show his video. To his surprise, Eminem was there, ready to watch. Both Eminem and Martin were impressed with Forbes' video and hired him to work at the studio that summer in whatever job he could come up with. Together, Martin and Forbes founded the Deaf Professional Arts Network (D-Pan) to make music inclusive to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. D-Pan hires Deaf performers to sign song lyrics in American Sign Language. Since the founding of the network, they have worked with artists such as Christina Aguilera and John Mayer to create accessible music videos.

Forbes himself is a talented hip-hop artist, often incorporating his proud identity in songs such as “I’m Deaf,” “Def Deaf Girls,” and “Def Deaf Christmas.” In 2022, he performed at the Super Bowl Halftime show with Warren “Wawa” Snipe, making it the first Halftime show in history to feature two Deaf performers. Dr Dre added Snipe and Forbes to a lineup that included Eminem, Snoop Dog, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar. In a perfect full-circle moment, Forbes signed the lyrics as Eminem performed “Lose Yourself.” 

Signkid

Kevin Walker, also known by his stage name, Signkid, is a rapper and writer from the U.K. who lost his hearing at age three after contracting meningitis. Nevertheless, Signkid developed what he describes as an “obsession” with music after watching his brother dance to Michael Jackson’s music videos; though he could not understand the lyrics, he could follow the beat. 

Signkid decided to pursue music while studying media at college. His music ranges from hip-hop to R&B and is inspired by artists such as Tupac, Stormzy, and Chance the Rapper. Signkid makes his tracks by feeling the music, rather than hearing it. He writes his songs based on his life struggles and experiences. In addition, he is a sign song performer—someone who uses sign language to interpret lyrics for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members. 

Signkid creates music not just for the love of it, but to represent and advocate for his community. In an interview with LADBible, he described the constant fight to make the music scene more inclusive. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a lot of work to do, but no matter what, I will carry on making music and performing. I want to show the world that Deaf people can make music, and I’m going to continue making my beats and performing on stage until I reach that goal,” Signkid said. 

Signkid released his debut album, Music is the Message, in 2017 and his sophomore album, The Visual Experience, in 2019. He is currently producing and releasing new music, with his latest single, “So Smooth,” out now. 

Big Ocean

Big Ocean is a K-pop boy band consisting of members Park Hyun Jin, Lee Chan Yeon, and Kim Ji Seok. They are the first hard-of-hearing boy band under Parastar Entertainment—an entertainment agency in Korea focused on recruiting talented performers with disabilities. All three boys are hard-of-hearing and use hearing aids and cochlear implants. The band aims to create a unique genre called “S-Pop” (Sign Language Pop). 

Big Ocean debuted on April 20, 2024, with a cover of “Hope” by H.O.T, and currently has just three singles out; “Glow,” “Blow,” and “Slow (feat. Young K).” The group chose their name because of the ocean’s calmness and peacefulness, representing their goal of bringing positive energy and hope to their listeners. 

Beethoven's Nightmare

Bob Hiltermann, Ed Chevy, and Steve Longo met when they were all attending Gallaudet University, a college for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing in Washington, D.C. Though they all share the same disability, what brought them together was their love for rock ‘n’ roll. In 1971, the trio formed “Beethoven's Nightmare,” and are now regarded as the first all-Deaf band in the world. 

Though they have had the occasional hiatuses, the band has been going strong for almost forty years now. In 2006, they released their debut album, Turn it Up Louder. Their performances are just as electric and entertaining as other rock bands, and the only difference is their added element of sign language on stage. 

There are so many gifted and dedicated Deaf and hard-of-hearing musicians. However, their work goes unnoticed and the exclusionary environment of the music industry makes it even more difficult for them to gain opportunities and recognition. Having a disability should not exempt you from pursuing what you love, and these artists are a prime example of that. Their pure love for music has persevered despite the struggles they face in the industry, proving that passion and talent transcend any disability. It is time the talents of ALL musicians, Deaf or hearing, are rightfully celebrated.