This week, Signature reached out to Naël Kaced a singer songwriter with a passion for RnB and Jazz. Throughout the blog Naël highlights his passion for music and touches on how his deafness has further strengthened his drive to pursue his enthusiasm for musical creativity.
- Hi, Naël, please could you introduce yourself to our weekly Signature readers.
Hello there! My name is Naël Kaced, I’m a singer songwriter from Paris. I mostly sing Soul, RnB, Gospel, and Jazz. I love drama, Greek and Egyptian mythology, and anything weird (you will find all that throughout my songs).
- When did your passion for music begin and what sparked this love?
Singing for me has always been a way to relax, to find peace. When you are deaf/hard of hearing, you have more access to the vibrations of your vocal cords. I suffer from migraines and singing has always had a real calming effect on my body. At the same time as I learned how to use my voice as a soothing tool, I stumbled upon CDs of Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin, so I sang their tunes in the bathroom when I took my hearing aids off.
- When did you realise that you were able to pursue your passion for music and how did this make you feel?
It happened in two steps. The first time I realised I could sing sing was at a jam session. I started going to this club (sort of) where they had this jam session with amazing musicians and the singers there were the best. I went for the first time to listen, it was a Tuesday, February 14th, all my friends had dates and I heard about this place. I was so amazed I went back every Tuesday. Once I was invited to take the mic and I had the courage to accept that night and that’s where it all began for me. I only had one hearing aid at that time. I realised I could perform on big stages when I was asked to join Jeanne Added on tour. My outer ears don’t work, so I couldn’t use in-ear monitors. What I did, and what I still do, is use this device that serves as a hearing loop, I plug it to my ear monitor pack, and it transmits the sound to my hearing aids via Bluetooth.
- What is it about music that you love most, which genre do you feel the most connected to and why?
I started listening to Gospel and Soul when I was very young. I still mostly listen to any genre that’s connected to these. Anything that has soul. Additionally, I pay really close attention to the lyrics- I’m a sucker for deep poetry.
What I love about music (as a listener) is that I’m suddenly not in the same space, I am transported. It changes my whole perception of things. It’s the closest thing to magic to me. And God knows I’m obsessed with magic. Every musician plays a big part in what’s happening, like an epic fight in a video game where you have a tank, a healer… it’s like magicians performing a ritual. When I sing with other instrumentalists, I get this feeling of us combining our strengths to create a beautiful spell.
- Can you expand on the different ways that society can make music more accessible and inclusive for those who are deaf or hard of hearing?
Well, as there are many kinds of deafness, I can only speak for the kind that I have, because your needs are so specific when it comes to this. The Bluetooth technology for hearing aids is really what changed everything for me, even as a listener. I don’t have to put headphones close to my hearing aids anymore and pretend like I enjoy the experience. So, I guess making hearing loops in concerts more accessible is important. Always having a space dedicated to those who can’t enjoy music the same way. Additionally, having sign language interpreters during a show always helps too.
- As someone in the music industry, I am sure there are many different venues that you would like to perform at. Which venue would be your dream place to perform and why?
Glastonbury!!! Since I was a kid, I have seen so many of my faves on TV perform at this festival, so give me a cardboard box to perform on and I will be the happiest man on earth. But there are so many venues I would like to perform at honestly, and what I love about touring is actually discovering new venues, connecting with new people, and experiencing sound in a different way.
- What key pieces of advice would you give to someone who is deaf and reluctant/worried to pursue their passion for music?
I can’t say that it’s going to be easy, but depending on the type of music you want to do, there is always going to be a place for you. The drive that makes you want to do music despite being deaf is a strength no one else has, and it’s going to take you places if you’re passionate enough. I used to hide the fact that I had hearing aids and always made excuses for when I didn’t hear something. When I started telling the people I worked with, it always helped me get whatever I needed to perform best. Like having a speaker turned a certain way, having my personal mix in my monitor (they’re always a bit shocked when I tell them how loud I need it to be haha).
- Here at Signature, we are incredibly excited about the prospect of a BSL GCSE. How important is this qualification for both the deaf community and the hearing community?
It’s so important for both the hearing community and the deaf community to be able to communicate. I’m not just talking about the hearing community giving the deaf community access to the hearing world, I’m talking about learning opportunities, as we all have so much to learn from one another.
- Finally, do you have any future goals for your musical career or any upcoming exciting projects that you would like to share with our readers?
Yeees! I have worked for a lot of artists, but I am finally releasing my first solo project. My first single ‘When They Catch Me’ is coming out March 15th, and the full Ep will be released soon after that. I hope you like it!
Here at Signature, we would like to thank Naël for opening up about his love for music. It has been great to learn about the origins of Naël’s passion for music and also about his aspirations for the future. Be sure to listen to Naël’s first solo release which can be streamed now by following this link: https://rb.gy/xxyjhx