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The Sign Language Interpreter For Rihanna's Super Bowl Show Had Fans Jamming Along With Her
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.
\u201cSuper Bowl Halftime ASL interpreter Justina Miles was having the time of her life tonight. I love this.\u201d— Noah (@Noah) 1676255502
Here is Miles' interpretation of "B**ch Better Have My Money."
\u201cICYMI- more history made last night. Justina Miles the first female deaf performer for the Super Bowl's halftime show performed American Sign Language alongside Rihanna. \u2014 and she killed it! #ASL #SuperBowl2023\u201d— Christopher Webb (@Christopher Webb) 1676302383
And here is Miles' take on "Rude Boy."
\u201cShoutout Justina Miles! The first Black deaf woman to perform American Sign Language at the Super Bowl pre-game and halftime shows. #SuperBowl #SuperBowlLVII \nhttps://t.co/8weuLCCYbL\u201d— zo\u00eb (@zo\u00eb) 1676254204
Miles, who is hard of hearing, has previously gone viral on TikTok for interpreting popular music through ASL.
@phillyqt12 #fyp
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.
\u201cAmazing! American Sign Language Interpreter #JustinaMiles was the 1st Black deaf woman to perform at the Super Bowl LVII pre-game and halftime shows! I love to see all of this inclusion and representation. Congratulations, to this #HistoryMaker! \ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffe\u201d— Ben Crump (@Ben Crump) 1676303897
\u201cListen, Justina Miles has BEEN that girl! Our good sis was the ASL interpreter last night at the #SuperBowl and did her thing! \n\nRT and show her love! \ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\u201d— BET (@BET) 1676311335
\u201cJustina Miles phenomenally absorbed all of the Rihanna energy \u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25\n\nShe is the first Deaf woman to provide ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation in Super Bowl halftime history.\n\nRihanna and Justina Miles\u2026 what a team! Brava, beautiful! \ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83e\udd1f\ud83c\udffd\n\n#RepresentationMatters\u201d— Mychal (@Mychal) 1676304798
\u201cLet's be honest, the super bowl half time star was Justina Miles.. #ASL #FeelTheVibes \u2764\u2764\u201d— Eliana Tardio (@Eliana Tardio) 1676288069
\u201cSomeone said the star of the Super Bowl and they\u2019re not lying.\nJustina Miles knew she has a few minutes and used every nanosecond.\u201d— Wander-full Lerato (@Wander-full Lerato) 1676393540
\u201cJustina Miles appreciation tweet: the 20yr old was the 1st ASL interpreter to perform in the Super Bowl halftime show & she KILLED it! I promise y\u2019all when I finally learn ASL im gonna sign everything with this energy!\u201d— Blocked by Big Ed The Mucinex Snot\ud83e\udda0 (@Blocked by Big Ed The Mucinex Snot\ud83e\udda0) 1676326729
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."