The power of signed song

Abstract

António Cabral was born profoundly deaf and had never thought of getting involved in music. While growing up, he had an interest in theatre and painting, and went on to paint professionally. Mãos que Cantam (Singing Hands) is the first professional, Deaf-led signed song group in Portugal. Created in 2010, the group is composed by five Deaf artists (António Cabral, Cláudia Dias, Carlos Gonçalves, Débora Carmo and Patrícia Carmo), one hearing conductor (Sérgio Peixoto) and the group’s designated Portuguese Sign Language interpreter (Sofia Figueiredo). The Deaf artists work as a team, translating lyrics into an aesthetic form of Portuguese Sign Language (Língua Gestual Portuguesa, LGP). Expressing musical elements visually, using different signing voices, developing synchronism to the original song, and rehearsing beginnings and endings of signed verses are all results of a group effort, in a fruitful Deaf-hearing collaboration, based on a profound respect for the language and culture of the Portuguese Deaf community.

Colin Thomson is one of the first Deaf sign-singers in the UK. He had a Deaf father, and has a profoundly deaf brother. He was born deaf and had some hearing growing up, until he became profoundly deaf at age 13. He started performing at 16 at a Deaf club and has now been performing for over 40 years. His method for creating translated signed songs is very specific. He uses elements from British Sign Language (BSL) poetry, such as producing signs with the same handshape during a whole verse, and making use of particular rhythmic techniques. Furthermore, he changes the original lyrics of mainstream songs in order to tell stories about the experiences of Deaf people, which pleases Deaf audiences and informs hearing spectators on Deaf culture.