- [Announcer] The following program is available with audio description and closed captions.

(rumbling music) (mellow music) (intriguing music) - [Interpreter] My name is Brandon Kazen-Maddox.

My name sign is the letter B tapped twice on the sternum.

My pronouns are they/them.

And I am an American Sign Language artist.

I am also a grandchild of deaf adults, or GODA, a hearing child who was raised in a culturally Deaf household, and sign language is my first language.

As a third-generation heritage signer, I learned how to think and communicate with my hands before developing any skills in spoken language.

I like to say that I think with my hands, and my words are just along for the ride.

My mom's side of the family is white and Deaf and from Washington State, and they gave me the gift of sign language.

My dad's side of the family is Black and hearing, and from New York City, and they gave me the gift of music.

I cherish both of these worlds that live within me, and I collaborate with Deaf and hearing artists to create art that both communities can share and enjoy together.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) With the help of my family and some of my closest collaborators, we will lead you on a journey of "making music visible" through the analysis of one of my favorite songs, called "Drown," by singer-songwriter Morgan James.

I invite you to come be a part of my world, a world of American Sign Language, music and mermaids.

Welcome to SOUL(SIGNS).

(screaming due to cold) - So "Drown" is the first song that I wrote with my husband, with whom I write most of my songs, Doug Wamble.

And I was really new to writing music.

You know, and it was also a new relationship, and we were falling head over heels, and we were writing music at the same time.

I wanted to write about the feeling of not being afraid to fall so deeply for somebody and not being afraid to jump and be all in.

And I thought, what better metaphor for that than going to the bottom of the water, going to the bottom of the ocean, letting yourself completely drown and be saved by somebody else.

(birds chirping) (people laugh) - There's one other thing that happened in Brandon's life when he was little and that his Nana and Auntie discovered Comic Con, and we became collectors of comic books, and cards, and everything.

We'd stand on line to see the celebrities.

And we'd go to the booths, and then we'd buy these cards, and he come home with us and we shuffle, shuffle, shuffle.

and we've got stacks of them under my roof.

And you guys, you need to get them.

(people laugh) - Actually, when we were driving across the bridge to here, I saw the Portland Convention Center, and immediately I'm like, just flashbacks of getting up at five in the morning.

But loving it, loving it all.

- They'd get all decked out in the comic book characters.

It was so much fun.

- I love the stats of all the different characters, and their superpower and their weakness and their strength, and what they were good at, and whatever; what planet they were from.

Right?

So I've always based my work almost kind of as with an underlying energy of a superhero.

Speaking of superhuman people, Morgan James is a person who was born to sing.

I mean, her voice is so powerful and evocative.

Morgan gracefully gives you energy and pulls you in.

She's like a mermaid.

She's like a siren.

And there's one of these songs.

It's called "Drown."

Drown.

And I think of her as a siren in this song.

- I love this song.

It makes me so happy because I write a lot of sad and angry songs, and this is actually a happy one.

(laughs) And it's called "Drown."

(audience laughs) (drumsticks tapping) - One, two, three.

("Drown" by Morgan James) ♪ I thought I knew how to hold my breath ♪ ♪ I thought I had found all that I'd been left ♪ ♪ I thought I was living close to death ♪ ♪ I didn't know what to do ♪ Honey, been lonely for these long days ♪ ♪ Honey, believe in the one that stays ♪ ♪ Go on, wade in the water 'til it's over your head ♪ ♪ 'Cause you been waiting with your heart out ♪ ♪ Gotta go where you're led ♪ And you will find me at the bottom when you come on down ♪ ♪ Let yourself ♪ drown.

- We were around a campfire, the first summer we met, and we were just singing random songs that came to our head.

You know, very informal, very just drinking beers and having fun around the fire.

(upbeat guitar music) ♪ It's gonna be, yeah ♪ the sweetest sound He started playing, signing from just feeling the spirit, the things that we were singing, and we had this play back and forth together.

I found myself forgetting my words, because I kept looking at him and like... and then he would mouth the words to me, and I was like, "oh, right, right, right.

I gotta, I gotta.

I have to sing my words, yeah."

- In getting ready to watch Morgan James perform tomorrow, I am excited to share this music with you in sign language, and I'm excited to see what you feel and the feedback that you have for me too.

I'm interested in it, you know?

I mean, so many of these years I've signed and kind of been isolated in it, and I've gotten feedback from other Deaf people, but it's different to get feedback from my family.

Are you ready?

- Ready.

("Drown" by Morgan James) ♪ I thought I knew how to hold my breath ♪ ♪ I thought I had found all that I'd been left ♪ ♪ I thought I was living close to death ♪ ♪ I didn't know - So the old sign for drown was and still is I think drowning.

That's what I grew up with.

- [Mom] The water's going up your nose.

- The water kind of going up your, this area.

- Yeah.

It's going above your nose.

- And the other sign is drown, like the surface of the water, and you, a thing, going under it.

But this, it's like a weight of fishing sometimes, like a fishing weight goes underwater like that.

but it's still the sign for drown.

- I like your version, related to this song, to the song.

- I'm passing between the feeling of actually going underwater and then a person walking until they're underwater.

This is another sign for, "to fall into something."

So you touch your nose, and then you go into, through, a medium, right?

And that's kind of what I think she's also saying.

She's like, fall into me, fall into love with me.

♪ Let yourself drown ("Drown" by Morgan James) ♪ Won't you let me ♪ Won't you let me take you down ♪ (audience applauds and cheers) - It's almost like you, yeah, just the way you signed it was almost exactly the way she was singing it, so yeah.

- I wish I could hear it.

(people laugh) And Grandma's saying, "Well, it has been my great pleasure to have this privilege and opportunity, and having all of you here.

And regarding that song, I'm still kind of, I'm working on, in search of, on like, I think it has to do with maybe the meaning of life, too.

It's not easy for a Deaf person like me to have this connection.

- I think she's relating on how that song relates to her personally, yeah.

- Uh-huh.

Yes, and it is, and it's awesome the way that Brandon delivered it.

(people chuckle) I think of couples because I think the person underwater who's calling for the person to come down and meet them is one partner and the other partner, and maybe it's like a topic that they're not meeting in the middle, or it's love.

It's like become vulnerable for me.

Open yourself up and don't hold your breath, but let it out and just surrender.

Surrender to what is hard and don't be afraid, because love is what's waiting for you down here, and when you're ready for that love, I'll be here.

(mellow music) - Who all is coming tonight?

- Yeah, so tonight is really very special because my Grandma's is going to be here, who's Deaf.

- Your mom's mom.

- My mom's mom.

My mom herself and my Nana, who is my father's mother, and then my father is going to be here, which is very exciting, and my grandfather.

His father.

- [Morgan] His father.

- And this is the first time that all three of us will be in the same room together, my father, my grandfather and myself, outside of this one time when my father was in prison, and my dad has never seen me perform before.

- Oh my god.

- Ever, so - - I'm so happy that you feel comfortable, you know, bringing them into this space.

- It's gonna be a very electric house.

♪ 'Cause I'm coming (high energy music) - Thank you.

(audience cheers and applauds) Thank y'all so much.

(audience cheers and applauds) - Thank you!

- Grandson, that was cool.

- Thank you, Nana.

What did you think of that?

- That was really beautiful.

- Did you like it?

- Yes, we did.

- What did you think?

- [Father] That was phenomenal, son.

I loved it.

- Thank you.

- [Father] You did a great job.

That was good.

Thank you for inviting me.

It was wonderful.

- Yeah.

- I'm proud of you, man.

- Thank you for coming.

- I'm proud of you.

- [Morgan] Having him be signing for the Deaf community at one of my shows makes it really, really 3D, you know.

It gives it like a whole 'nother set of highlights and shadows.

(water rushing) - I have always identified with mermaids.

(water crashing) (no audio) (object tapping) (object tapping) (no audio) (object tapping) (object tapping) (no audio) (object tapping) (object tapping) (no audio) (object tapping) (relaxed, jazzy music) (relaxed, jazzy music continues) (relaxed, jazzy music continues) (relaxed, jazzy music continues) (objects tapping) - Like that book.

How communicate with this.

(easygoing music) - So it means so much to me to know that the Deaf community is reading what I wrote, and feeling what I wrote, and giving it a completely new life.

The other person in the story of any song is the person that's interpreting it, right?

- My life.

I've held on.

Because it's the only thing I know.

I know it's different.

(hands clap) Holding on, one, two, three...my entire life.

and I'm afraid to face the unknown.

(Russell breathes deeply) (hands clap) Reclaiming power.

(hands clap) (crickets chirp) - [Kevin] Great.

Brandon needs to go a little bit more - - [Juana] To the right?

- To the right.

Yeah.

- More to the right, Brandon.

- [Kevin] Yeah.

Right there.

Great, perfect.

- Okay, that's good, says Rosa Lee.

- Oh, beautiful.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (hands clap) (gentle music continues) (hands clap) - I thought I helped, so... (person laughs) That thing of like, I thought I helped, so pick one.

(waves crashing) - [Brandon] Okay, great.

- [Interpreter] Follow your instincts.

It works.

- One more time.

- I do like the idea also of like you're walking to go to your life, to the chair.

Maybe, like, catch him like almost going... - Yeah.

- like touching it.

Like the action - but then he sees it and then he goes.

so that it's clear that he's going.

- I think that's really beautiful.

- 'Cause that's.

- I like that.

I like that.

(waves crashing) - Showbiz.

- Come with me.

Showbiz, baby.

You're hired.

(person laughs) (no audio) (no audio) (no audio) (no audio) (machinery whirring faintly) - And cut.

Beautiful.

Happy?

So, that's a wrap, everybody!

- Woo-hoo!

(crew applauds) - Congratulations.

- Yay!

- And now our American Sign Language music video - "Drown."

(waves crashing gently) (water splashing) (wood creaking) (water splashing) (zipper buzzing) (footsteps thudding) (water splashing) (waves crashing gently) (water sloshing) (waves crashing gently) (birds calling) (waves crashing gently) (waves crashing gently) ("Drown" by Morgan James) ♪ I thought I knew how to hold my breath ♪ ♪ I thought I had found all that I'd been left ♪ ♪ I thought I was living close to death ♪ ♪ I didn't know what to do ♪ Honey, been lonely for these long days ♪ ♪ Honey, believe in the one that stays ♪ ♪ Go on, wade in the water 'til it's over your head ♪ ♪ 'Cause you've been waiting with your heart out ♪ ♪ gotta go where you're led ♪ Cause you will find me at the bottom ♪ ♪ When you come on down ♪ Let yourself drown ♪ I thought I would die if I lost my air ♪ ♪ I thought if I disappeared then no one would care ♪ ♪ I saw my salvation but there was nothing there ♪ ♪ I didn't know about you ♪ Honey, been lonely for these long days ♪ ♪ Honey, believe in the one that stays ♪ ♪ Go on wade in the water 'til it's over your head ♪ ♪ Cause you been waiting with your heart out ♪ ♪ Ggtta go where you're led ♪ Cause you will find me at the bottom ♪ ♪ when you come on down ♪ Whoa whoa ♪ Let yourself drown ♪ Won't you let me take you down?

♪ ♪ Won't you let me take you down?

♪ ♪ Better believe ♪ believe in me ♪ Better believe and breathe ♪ Wade in the water 'til it's over your head ♪ ♪ 'Cause you've been waiting with your heart out ♪ ♪ gotta go where you're led ♪ Cause you will find me at the bottom ♪ ♪ when you come on down ♪ Cause you will find me at the bottom ♪ ♪ when you come on down ♪ Won't you let me take you down?

♪ ♪ Oh ♪ Let yourself drown ♪ Won't you let me?

♪ Won't you let me take you down?

♪ (waves crashing gently) (water splashing) (wind blowing) (water splashing) (water splashing) (water rippling) (peaceful music) ♪ Cause nothing is more beautiful than when you believe ♪ ♪ Now you're here, ♪ and I'm free ♪ Now you're here ♪ You found me (peaceful music continues) (no audio)