Half/Asian with Amy the CODA

HALF/ASIAN with Amy the CODA are a synth pop duo that sing harmonies in English and sign language. Blending their voices and stories into a sound and performance that is truly unlike any other. A PSR 36 synthesizer from 1980 sets the tone and tempo. Their harmonious voices tell stories with heart. The incorporation of sign language allows hearing audience members to experience music in a deeper way and for sign language users to have more access to the lyrics and message behind the music.

For Ian, it started with the purchase of a Yamaha PSR 36 from Value Village – and has grown into a distinct sound that pushes the boundaries of synthesizer programming – going beyond the parameters it was designed for. The lyricism ranges from fractured poetry to poignant storytelling and narratives. Their sound has been likened to Chromeo and early Gorillaz, mixed with George Harrison.

For Amy, it started with signing along to one of Ian’s songs and realizing that she had lost the majority of her sign language fluency through having a profession that is not centered around the deaf community and interpreting. Her performance fully embraces her bi-lingual and bi-cultural identity as a CODA (Child of a Deaf Adult) by including both spoken language and signed language.

“As a band, we work to create art that is meaningful to us. We both have bi-cultural identities, and don’t always feel like we can fully be exactly who we are in every time and place. When we are creating or performing, we are in this place where we embrace everything that has made us who we are. And by sharing it we allow these versions of ourselves to be seen.”

Change starts with positive representation. We believe that art has the power to shift perspectives.

BONUS: Come see the debut screening of their documentary, Mother Tongue, on Saturday 29 July.