The first of its kind, The Power of Signed Songs: Deaf Artists, Intercultural Reach, and the Politics of Music Making analyzes musical performances that were translated or created in signed languages. Written by an international team of Deaf community researchers, The Power of Signed Songs explores the politics of music making in the form of signed songs, an often controversial art form in Deaf communities. 

While raising questions about culture, translation, and authorship, signed songs demonstrate forms of Deaf cultural resistance, defy traditional conceptions of music, and draw attention to language diversity and intersectionality within Deaf communities in varied European settings. Drawing on both signed music performances and field research, the authors highlight the unique contributions of signing musical artists from both the UK and Portugal. Signed songs and translations illustrate a wide range of creative performance strategies, linguistic word and sign play across languages, and sociolinguistic variation. 

By analyzing how translated songs created by Deaf artists serve as cultural products, translations, and performance, The Power of Signed Songs provides a glimpse into how translations of music can be a form of both transnational and localized cultural resistance. Ultimately, Deaf-centered signed songs are not just artistic expressions but also political statements, challenging the idea that music belongs exclusively to the hearing world.

Joana Morêdo Pereira was a Portuguese Sign Language interpreter for 15 years and is now a professor in the interpreting program at the Setúbal Polytechnic University. She has authored several publications on Deaf culture and interpreting. 

Helena Carmo is the first Deaf person in Portugal to earn a PhD in linguistics (Portuguese Catholic University). She has published widely on Portuguese Sign Language (LGP), taught LGP, produced multimedia materials, and coauthored the national LGP curriculum for d/Deaf students in public schools. 

Maxwell Barber holds a BA in Philosophy and English Literature and is pursuing a PhD on deaf political leadership in the UK. He has worked with Deaf theatre institutions and Deaf LGBTIQA+ organizations, taught BSL, and contributed to governmental policies on BSL use.