American Sign Language (ASL) performer Justina Miles was the sign language interpreter for pop star Rihanna's Super Bowl performance and fans have fallen in love with her impressive, dance-like ASL interpretation to many of the singer's biggest hits.
Rihanna's Super Bowl halftime show was her first time on stage since 2017.
But the Super Bowl appears to have found a new star in the form of the 20-year-old Philadelphia native—who performed twice—providing the first-ever ASL interpretation of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the Super Bowl before diving into her rendition of Rihanna's halftime performance.
You can see Miles' interpretation of Rihanna's "Pour It Up" below.
Here is Miles' interpretation of "B**ch Better Have My Money."
And here is Miles' take on "Rude Boy."
Miles, who is hard of hearing, has previously gone viral on TikTok for interpreting popular music through ASL.
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Miles holds the dual distinction of being the first woman to sign a Super Bowl halftime show as well as the first deaf Black woman to perform at the Super Bowl.
Miles is a nursing student and cheerleader at Bowie State University in Maryland and was valedictorian at Model Secondary School for the Deaf in Washington D.C., according to the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).
Miles was also on Team USA at the 2021-2022 Deaflympics, at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level. She won a silver medal as part of the 4X100 women's track relay team during the 2021-2022 games.
Many fans loved her performance and have applauded her success.
Other interpreters were also on hand during the Super Bowl.
Colin Denny, a deaf Native American from the Navajo Nation in Arizona who is studying North American Indian Sign Language at the University of Arizona, combined ASL and North American Indian Sign Language for his interpretation of "America the Beautiful," sung by Kenneth Brian Edmonds, better known by his stage name Babyface.
Actor Troy Kotsur—who last year became only the second deaf performer and the first deaf man to win an Academy Award after winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in CODA—interpreted the National Anthem, telling reporters that he jumped at the opportunity after he "learned that it was [his] hometown that was hosting the Super Bowl."
