Sunday night’s Super Bowl halftime show featured a historic performance by Rihanna, but another Black woman was also creating history. When Justina Miles performed Rihanna’s songs in American Sign Language (ASL), she made history as the first deaf woman to take the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show.
“Rihanna was incredible but omg the ASL interpreter they had for her performance was LIVING. 10/10 all around,” one viewer wrote on Twitter.
The pre-show song “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” performed by actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, was also signed by the 20-year-old deaf ASL singer from Philadelphia. Miles performed the song in ASL at the Super Bowl for the first time by a deaf person.
During a press conference last week ahead of the Super Bowl, Miles said the event was very special to her. “Not only for me to share this experience with the whole world but to really bring that empowerment to millions and millions of Black deaf people all over the country who’ve never really seen that before,” she said. “I feel that is truly lifting every voice, even my voice.”
As she continues to earn rave reviews on social media, here are three things you should know about her:
She is a nursing student
Miles is a nursing student at Bowie State University. He was raised in a home that included hearing individuals. Despite being deaf, her mother continues to be her biggest advocate. Before enrolling at the HBCU Bowie State University, where she is also a cheerleader, Miles was valedictorian at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf in Washington, D.C.
She is a decorated athlete
Miles was a cheerleader while also in high school. She competed in volleyball and is now a renowned athlete after representing the 4100 women’s track relay team and winning a silver medal at the 2021–2022 Deaflympics in Brazil.
She went viral in 2020 for the TikTok #crushonyouchallenge
As a sign language interpreter and content creator, Miles’ ASL rendition of the Lil’ Kim song “Crush on You” music video went viral in 2020. After receiving over a million views on Twitter, Kim later posted the video online. Despite not having performed in a concert before, Miles is making headlines three years later for her jaw-dropping Super Bowl performance.
She has “delivered stunning ASL versions of music at several concerts across the country,” according to the National Association of the Deaf. Miles also enjoys dancing and drawing.