In the Spotlight
Here’s Matt working at a Chance the Rapper concert during a music festival.

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Signing Along

Matt Maxey is on a mission to bring music to the Deaf community.

February 2021

by Alex Lim-Chua Wee

Courtesy of Matt Maxey

Imagine you’re in the middle of the crowd at a concert. The lights flash. Your favorite band walks onstage and starts to play. You’re ready to dance! But there’s just one problem: You can’t hear the music.

For many deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) people, this is what concerts are like. Matt Maxey is one of those people. He’s worn a hearing aid since he was two years old. But it hasn’t stopped him from loving music. In fact, he believes everyone should be able to enjoy their favorite songs.

That’s why Matt works as a musical sign language interpreter. This means he stands onstage with musicians like Chance the Rapper and Waka Flocka. As they rap, he signs the words of their songs. We asked Matt what inspires him to help others.

Did you always want to work in music?

I grew up in a musical family. But I wasn’t the best singer. When I was 18, I started learning sign language. I would practice by signing the lyrics of songs. This helped me remember the signs. I loved it!

What made you want to become a sign language interpreter?

When I was young, I never had role models who were deaf, or who were deaf and Black. That’s why I started my company, DEAFinitely Dope—to help others who are deaf or hard-of-hearing like me know they’re not alone. A lot of people think being deaf means you can’t do what everyone else can, like enjoy concerts. I wanted to show them that isn’t true.

What’s the most important part of your job?

I make sure I’m expressing the feelings a musician is trying to express. To do this, I study a song’s lyrics for weeks before working at a concert. Many people feel something when they hear music. I want a deaf audience to have those feelings when they see music through the way I sign.

What do you love most about what you do?

I’ve met so many cool people—famous and not famous! But mostly I love seeing people happy. It’s always worth it to know that everyone is able to enjoy an event.