Ro Pound-Clarke tells us about being a deafblind performer! (BSL)

My name is Ro Pound-Clarke, my pronouns are they/them. I am a non binary gay profoundly deafblind person.

I am a deafblind blogger, traveller and signed song performer. I move around quite a lot but right now I’m settling down in Bristol, although I am definitely planning to move back home to Wales someday!

I grew up with a deaf parent along with my deaf twin sister, with the rest of the surrounding family being hearing. All of my family are music lovers, I grew up listening and dancing to music and I took many music lessons. I remember how growing up I would often translate songs into BSL and perform them in front my family.

I always knew I was gay and have been in the LGBTQ+ community my entire life. I would say I was born gay and I even had my first girlfriend as a kid so I never needed to come to my family, they already knew.

I don’t really have any coming out stories but the one thing I’ve had to correct people about is how I don’t identify as a girl. Once you get to know me you can tell it’s kinda natural, I guess!

My parents, and growing up in a musical family inspired me to become a sign song performer. I signed songs for friends and family then one day when I was 18 one person – Lynn Stewart Taylor – saw me and put me on a stage, and then wham bam, I’m a performer!

I have so many memorable moments as a performer! I definitely have to say the Deaf Celtic festival’s one as I felt I connected with the audience like I never have before, it was just an absolutely unforgettable experience. The audience were dancing and ah – I just loved every minute of it.

The reason why the Deaf Celtic festival felt so different compared to most other venues was because the stage is low and almost at the same level as the audience. They were standing so close to the stage, which made it so much easier for me to see the audience and gain a better experiences connecting with audience.

Regarding my sight, I have DOA type one, which is a little complicated to explain to people I meet. I can’t see far and also it’s more about the brain being unable to pick up the picture, anything I read or see.

I can’t recognise people at all just by looking at their face or body. I need to know your name or the more I meet you, I would recognise you by your body language and the way you behave (movements, voices and smell).

I grew up partially sighted but was registered as blind few years ago, so it is still quite new to me. Sometimes I find my brain cannot cooperate to send messages like “watch out for the door!” meaning I would then walk into a door. It’s frustrating. I can’t even see sign languages unless you’re close or sign bigger with gestures and so on.

As a performer, I can’t see the lyrics from a distance so I cannot stand and sign. So to get by I just read and listen to the lyrics sitting down with my phone in hand over and over until I memorise it and I am able to sing it. Then I’d put my phone down, play the music and sign.

It’s a real challenges but it’s a relief when I’ve completed a performance.

I think that lots of things have changed for the LGBTQ+ community and in a good way! I’ve noticed that women have more power than men now. We need to remember that mens mental health issues are still real and just the same as women.

I also feel that being deafblind in the deaf community is extremely tough, I often go to a deaf event that says it is ”fullly accessible” yet when I arrive I am wondering where is the accessibility for blind people. That has to change, really.

I would love to direct a musical theatre with full signed song! At the moment, I’m working on producing an ‘Annie musical’ for deaf people but it’s going pretty slow and I need help to make that happen, so we’ll see!

I’d love to perform for bands at concerts. And in the deaf community, I would love to perform with Martyn Kenyon. He’s amazing, I’m obsessed with him!

Some advice that I would give to any other budding sign singers is firstly just be you! Be yourself! Enjoy the music like you do in your bedroom, do it like no one is watching and if you mess up a line or two, IMPROVISE!

That is the best thing about BSL! It’s all about gesture so ensure that you stays in character. Before the performance, you need to learn the meaning of the songs and the emotion behind it.

For example, Highway to Hell by AD/DC is about living a life to the fullest with no rules.

So the emotion would be excitement and confidence and the physical would be stomping feet and moving around a lot. So if I mess up a line, I just simply wave my arms no or look away stomping my feet or driving.

Finally, if you have mental health issues like anxiety or PTSD like I do, make sure you request a small room to yourself to have a breather, tell the venue to kill the lights or anything that would make you uncomfortable.

It really is okay to tell people what you want or need to make yourself comfortable before and during the performance.

Ro Pound-Clarke is a sign song performer, blogger and traveller based in Bristol.

Photos taken at Deaffest 2024 copyright Charlie Swinbourne.