Luke Eastman has just been nominated for the vocalist of the year award in this year’s Western Australian Music Awards.
Yet he doesn’t sing.
Instead, he is what’s called a “performance signer” with acclaimed Perth band Alter Boy, and it’s his job to interpret their indie, electro-pop music in Auslan sign language.
Known as “NRG” in the band, Eastman describes himself as a “native signer”, having grown up as the child of two deaf adults, commonly called a CODA.
“I was exposed to the language very, very early on, I signed to both my parents before I spoke to anyone else,” he said.
Luke Eastman’s Auslan performances with Alter Boy are a huge part of the band’s shows. (ABC News: Mya Kordic)
To be acclaimed for his performance signing and recognised amongst his hearing peers as an equal was something Eastman described as “special”.
“I never really thought the industry or the music world would ever really understand or embrace or accept that as performance,” he said.
Alter Boy consists of five members including Eastman, Molly Priest, Andrew Wright MDNT, Josh Terlick HVN and Josh Ellis Hell.
Alter Boy singer Molly Priest during a Triple J Like A Version session. (Instagram: Alter Boy)
The band offers audiences performances which are inclusive to everyone.
“My favourite piece of feedback that we get quite often is it’s amazing to see it all as one unit,” he said.
“As a deaf person viewing, they don’t need to watch from left to right or look at different aspects of the stage to understand what’s going on.
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“It’s all a part of the performance.”
Eastman said the band’s gigs are proof accessibility doesn’t have to be an afterthought.
“When we create a show, we think about accessibility from the very, very beginning, and that’s what I think sets us apart from other bands,” he said.
He said performing in Alter Boy was something he never expected.
“The fact that I get to do what I was doing growing up in the shower, on stage and people come to watch it and people enjoy it — it means I’m providing accessibility,” he said.
“It means the deaf community are able to come out and enjoy our shows, I’m able to see other CODAs with their deaf parents come and enjoy our shows.”
Proud mum
Simone Shepherd is Eastman’s mother and said she was proud and excited for her son to be nominated.
“Who knows, maybe he’ll win, maybe there will be other awards in the future. It’d really, really be great to see other people copy that sort of style,” she said.
Ms Shepherd said Alter Boy’s act was unique.
“It’d be fantastic to see other bands having that accessibility and being able to have an Auslan interpreter there,” she said.
“I really, really hope that happens.”
Luke with his proud mum Simone. (ABC News: Mya Kordic)
For anyone wanting to follow his path, Eastman said he’s hopeful other musicians can find a mentor to guide them.
“I’m really hoping that other people can see what we do as a band, what I do as a performance signer, what I do as a CODA even, and realise that you’re not kind of restricted by anything except for yourself,” he said.
“Following Alter Boy’s example in terms of accessibility being inherent and not an afterthought — I strongly encourage and I really hope that people take that up going forward.”
Eastman said his heart was “full” seeing other CODAs in the audience.
“I would love to be able show other CODAs around Australia that they can have their own identity and they can follow their own path and do their own thing,” he said.
The West Australian Music Awards are presented on Wednesday night.
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