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Coldplay set 'game-changing' standard for Singapore, say sign-language interpreters at concert performing for the deaf

SINGAPORE — British rock band Coldplay's ongoing six-night concert in Singapore has drawn its share of online chatter from piano malfunction to marriage proposals, and over the weekend, some people have also taken note of the sign-language interpreters at the shows.

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  • Sign-language interpreters at Coldplay's concerts in Singapore have gained some attention for making the music accessible to the deaf community
  • Mr Daniel Yong, 24, and Mr Shawn Fang, 29, are part of a three-man team, conveying emotions and meanings of lyrics through visual interpretations
  • Deaf audience members wore special vests that allowed them to feel the music beats 
  • Before the concert, the interpreters did some intensive research to convey as accurately as possible the meanings of song lyrics
  • They hope that more concerts and entertainment shows here will have greater accessibility for the deaf community 

SINGAPORE — British rock band Coldplay's ongoing six-night concert in Singapore has drawn its share of online chatter from piano malfunction to marriage proposals, and over the weekend, some people have also taken note of the sign-language interpreters at the shows.

Standing against a sea of pulsating lights, their energetic gestures and expressive movements allowed deaf and hard-of-hearing fans to be a part of the crowd taking in the sights and sounds at the sold-out shows in the National Stadium.

Mr Daniel Yong, 24, and Mr Shawn Fang, 29, are part of a three-man team heading the sign-language interpretation at every night of Coldplay's concerts here, which began last Tuesday (Jan 23) and will end this Wednesday. The third interpreter is Mr Azzam Akbar, 29, who works for a nonprofit organisation and declined to be interviewed.

The freelance interpreters of the Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) were hired by concert organisers Live Nation, before the band’s arrival for their main stop in Asia during their Music of the Spheres world tour.

To ensure that they accurately capture the meaning behind every song in the set list, the trio painstakingly did their research and came up with their own ways of offering vivid visual interpretations. 

Mr Yong and Mr Fang said that contrary to common misconception, deaf people enjoy music in different ways, such as feeling the vibrations of bass notes and reading time-synced lyrics. 

The community can soak up the experience at the Coldplay concerts by wearing Subpac vests provided by Coldplay at the venue, which allow users to feel the beat of the music. 

The provision of local sign-language interpreters and these bass-delivering vests started after Coldplay announced in 2022 that they wanted their shows to be inclusive and accessible. 

DIFFERENT WAYS TO ENJOY MUSIC

For all six nights of Coldplay’s concert here, Mr Yong and Mr Fang, along with Mr Azzam, would take turns to perform for the deaf audience in a designated sign language area at the National Stadium. 

Two of them will be on duty each time, with one translating the lyrics into sign language, while the other uses dramatic gestures as a visual interpretation of the instruments.

Mr Yong, a full-time freelancer who has been interpreting sign language for five years, said: “We’ll also show the rhythm, the volume and the pitch to convey the vibe. 

“Whether it has a mysterious feeling or a strong beat like people marching down the street, we want the audience to understand what we’re feeling.”

Although the Subpac vests, which are connected to the sound system, vibrate according to the music, Mr Yong told TODAY that the audience might not understand “what is going on or what that means” when they feel certain rhythms. 

“So the other interpreter for the instruments provides that context, making it more visual so deaf people can enjoy (the concert better).” 

This was where the thorough research was needed to convey the metaphorical meanings of the lyrics effectively. 

Mr Yong cited an example of the line, “I will try to fix you”, from the song Fix You, which symbolises frontman Chris Martin’s attempt to comfort his then-wife, Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow, after her father died. 

Mr Yong said that if he had tried to sign it in the usual way, the gesture would convey the word ‘fix’ in a mechanical context. 

“During our preparation work, we took inspiration from other sign-language interpreters performing for the song. In the end, we came up with a series of gestures that meant, ‘I will support you by giving you my heart, and I will put your heart back together’,” he added. 

The preparation work before the concert's first night was particularly intense.

Mr Yong and Mr Fang recalled staying up from 9pm to 11am studying every song and planning the visual interpretations. 

However, they felt that their efforts were worth it, especially after receiving positive feedback from the deaf audience.

One TikTok user said in a video capturing the interpreters at the concert: "This should be shared more. Love how passionate these two were. Thumbs up!"

Another one said: "I’m so touched watching this. Music is truly a universal language. Thank you for sharing!" 

HOPE FOR MORE ACCESSIBILITY IN FUTURE CONCERTS

With just two more nights left in the Singapore leg of Coldplay’s world tour, there is much for Mr Fang to look back on what he has done. 

An educator who has been interpreting sign language for six years, he told TODAY that his most memorable moment so far was interpreting the song Yellow when he tried his best to capture the entire scene of the crowd singing along to the lyrics. 

“At one point, the band held a long note, so I kept the same sign throughout, and I saw the deaf audience holding the same sign with me as we locked eyes. 

“This connection really transcends what people normally think of music, and it shows we can connect with music in many ways.”

For Mr Yong, he felt proud that he was given the opportunity to work with deaf artistes Lily Goh and Shariffah Faaiqah Alkaff, as well as other interpreters such as Mr Fang to provide access to one of Singapore’s biggest concerts of the year. 

To the best of his knowledge, he said that Singapore concerts have never offered accessibility to the deaf community at such a “game-changing” scale. 

“(Coldplay) has set the standard for Singapore. You may have seen Rihanna’s sign-language performer at her Super Bowl performance, and I think Singapore should start doing the same for all major shows and TV programmes.”

During singer Rihanna's performance at the Super Bowl half-time show last year in the United States, sign-language performer Justina Miles went viral for her energetic moves. She also became the first deaf woman to perform during the half-time show. 

For future concerts in Singapore, Mr Fang hopes that more musical artistes will include accessibility to a wider audience as part of their concerts. And if they intend to do so, he suggested that the ideal way is to reach out to the deaf community here in advance to understand their needs. 

“Another thing is to engage the interpreting team early on so that they can prepare well and make sure that the concert is an enjoyable experience for the deaf audience,” he added.

Mr Yong and Mr Fang will perform on Tuesday night (Jan 30) in Coldplay’s second last show in Singapore. 

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