Deaf singer, songwriter to perform at music festival

Good Vibrations Music and Art Festival takes place on Saturday

SAN ANTONIO – Emma Rudkin, the current Miss San Antonio, continues to break barriers, but recording a song was a challenge for her.

The song is called “Love Hears: In the Silence,” and it was written by Rudkin and Ryan Proudfoot.

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“I am actually deaf,” Rudkin said. “I have a profound hearing loss, and I truly live a life of what it’s like to be a deaf individual.”

Feeling the music through vibrations is how Rudkin is able to sing, but when recording in the studio, Proudfoot stepped in to guide her through the process.

“He had to basically conduct me through the entire song and give me visual cues on what was happening,” Rudkin said.

Proudfoot said he had never done anything like this before and it was his honor to help Rudkin.

“Writing the song was cool, but going into the studio was a totally different experience,” Proudfoot said.

The song can be heard live on Saturday at the Good Vibrations Music and Art Festival, a KSAT Community event, where both Rudkin and Proudfoot will perform.

The festival is the first of its kind for San Antonio. There will be vibration backpacks, American Sign Language translators and a light show that syncs up to the music.

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“I always say that the guests of honor are the deaf, but our hearing friends are also invited as well,” Rudkin said.

The festival is Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight at the 1850 Settlement.

Tickets are still available and all proceeds benefit Rudkin’s organization, Aid the Silent.

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About the Author:

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.