Four Deaf Music Artists You Should Know

One of the first assumptions that is made about deaf people is that it is impossible for them to experience or appreciate music. This is simply not true. Setting aside the obligatory Beethoven argument for now, here are just four contemporary musicians and bands that are bucking the misconceptions about deaf people, while making some great music along the way.

1. Sean Forbes

Sean Forbes / Via youtube.com

Sean Forbes is a deaf rapper from Detroit, Michigan who is on a mission to make music that is accessible and inspiring to deaf audiences. Since releasing his first LP "Perfect Imperfection" in 2012, he has toured to schools all over the country, spoken at TED conferences, and even made a music video with deaf actor Marlee Matlin.

2. Signmark

Signmark / Via youtube.com

As revolutionary as Sean Forbes is, he's not the first deaf musician, or even the first deaf rapper! Born in Finland, Marko Vuoriheimo, aka Signmark, has been making music since 2004 and takes a more political stance with his lyrics, demanding that the hearing culture stops looking at deafness as a disability and starts identifying deafness as a culture.

3. Beethoven's Nightmare

Beethoven's Nightmare / Via youtu.be

If we're talking about deaf musicians, you know somebody's gonna make a Beethoven reference. In this case, it's four guys who have come together to create "The Greatest Deaf Rock Band in the World," Beethoven's Nightmare. With a rocking live show and a sense of humor, this band has toured the world and was featured in the documentary film See What I'm Saying.

4. ExtraOrdinary Horizons

ExtraOrdinary Horizons and Black Forest / Via youtu.be

ExtraOrdinary Horizons was started as an after-school program in Singapore as a way of teaching deaf students music, with an emphasis on percussion. The drumline has grown and now collaborates regularly with international music projects, including this one with Singapore indie band Black Forest.