• At Rihanna's Super Bowl show, her sign language interpreter, Justina Miles, ignited the web.
  • His energetic and pictorial performance allowed deaf and hard of hearing people to enjoy the artist's concert.
  • A way to put a spotlight on the chansign, a little-known artistic discipline.

While Rihanna, in a red jumpsuit on a levitating platform, delivered a highly anticipated performance at halftime of the Super Bowl, it was another performer who almost stole the show. Black dress and long nails, precise and frenzied gestures, Justina Miles, sign language interpreter, ignited the crowd... And the web. His interpretation of Bitch Better Have My Money in sign language quickly made the rounds of social networks, including Tik Tok and Twitter, and fascinated Internet users. His performance was viewed millions of times on social networks, which helped put the spotlight on the chansigne, a discipline still little known in the world of hearing.

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Justina Miles, 20, is the first deaf woman to perform the Super Bowl show in sign language. Already well known on Tik Tok, the young woman from Philadelphia had become known for her chansigne covers. At the press conference of the most-watched sporting event on television, she affirmed her pride in signing this performance as a black and deaf woman, "to bring this emancipation to millions and millions of black deaf people across the country, who have never seen this before."

The chansigne, an artistic discipline too little known

Chansigne, which refers to the translation into sign language, not just of the lyrics of songs, but of the whole melody, is practiced by sign language interpreters, hearing or deaf/hard of hearing. Far from being a simple translation, it is a real artistic discipline: if some chansigneurs or chansigneuses cover already existing songs by translating and interpreting them; Others create their own songs in chansigne, adding rhythm and melody through body movement. Far from being improvised, the discipline requires a transcription and adaptation of signed songs.



If the Super Bowl has put the practice in the spotlight, it is not new: the chansigne has existed for many years. Online, canister collectives make their discipline visible on YouTube or Tik Tok, and many chansigne performers travel international stages and festivals to make concerts accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people. Thus, in 2022, the Philharmonie de Paris offered many concerts, including the two dates of MC Solaar, in collaboration with the collective Integraal, which changed the rapper's texts. Elsewhere in the world, more and more artists are using sign language interpreters, such as Linkin Park or the metal band Slayer.

Giving more space to deaf and hard of hearing music lovers

Some festivals, however, have taken up the subject, offering tools to allow deaf or hard of hearing people to enjoy the show: since 2018, some have been offering vibrating backpacks, which allow you to feel the vibrations of music. The issue of accessibility of festivals and concerts has long been raised by people with disabilities.

Justina Miles' presence at the Super Bowl is a symbolic event for the Deaf and hard of hearing community: the accessibility of music festivals and concerts remains complex. The use of sign language interpreters remains limited, due to lack of financial resources (especially since the health crisis) or by forgetting the organizers. Here's hoping it's becoming more and more common to see a sign language interpretation of our favorite artists, on screen or on stage.

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