Super Bowl: The woman who almost eclipsed Rihanna’s halftime show

One woman eclipsed the biggest pop culture event of the year, maybe the decade, but it points to a much larger shift in culture and inclusivity.

It is hard to believe someone could even come close to stealing the Super Bowl halftime show from Rihanna, but a woman has become one of the most talked-about part of the whole event.

Even with the aerial staging, the hit-packed setlist, a pregnancy reveal, a perfect bit of product placement, and dozens of infinitely meme-able marshmallow-like dancers, the woman almost did.

I really wish this ASL interpreter got some national airtime during Rihanna's Halftime performance... SHE IS GETTING HER LIFE, LITERALLY ATE AND LEFT ZERO CRUMBS!!!!! What is her NAME?! #SuperBowlpic.twitter.com/ECzvhHGpWn

— Ryan Aguirre (@aguirreryan) February 13, 2023

Meet Justina Miles, the American Sign Language interpreter who made a historic and viral appearance alongside Rihanna on the web live stream of the halftime performance.

Not only did Ms Miles, a 20 year old nursing student at Bowie State University in Maryland, cause a stir with her energetic performance of Rihanna’s 13-minute long set, but she was the first deaf woman to provide ASL interpretation during the iconic sports event.

ICYMI- 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. — and she killed it! #ASL#SuperBowl2023pic.twitter.com/nrEIbisO92

— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) February 13, 2023

ASL interpreter Justina Miles was indisputably the high point of the super bowl pic.twitter.com/lg4A4nT2y7

— Unicourt 🦄 (@SupremeCourtAF) February 13, 2023

On top of her hugely entertaining halftime show, she was the interpreter for the pre-game performance of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ (often referred to as the Black National Anthem) sung by Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Justina Miles performing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" in American Sign Language. Picture: Rob Carr/Getty Images/AFP

Ms Miles later posted on Instagram thanking the NFL for allowing her “to be part of American history, Black history, and Deaf history.”

“I had the honour of performing the Black National Anthem with (Ralph), and lift every voice of the unrecognised, the overlooked, and the culture,” she wrote.

“Not only is it an overwhelming inspiration to be the first woman to perform at the pre-game and halftime show, but to be Black and Deaf as well. That shows real inclusivity and big baby steps towards true accessibility.”

But Justina is not the first showstopping interpreter to go viral and, if the recent burst of signing crossed with pop culture is anything to go by, she might not be the last.

Australia has its own iconic sign language (Auslan) interpreters, but we are perhaps most familiar with the man bun and spiffy suits of Mikey Webb.

Mr Webb is the Auslan interpreter who went viral in 2022 for being unfortunately (or luckily) hit mid-press conference by bird poo.

In 2020 he caused a stir for his high-octane performance at Perth’s Highway to Hell festival – which he was specifically requested to perform at.

https://fb.watch/iMh5rBGshW/

But the talents of the deaf community and value of Auslan is shining on the big and small screen as well.

Auslan made an appearance on Channel 10’s Survivor earlier this month when Heroes Benjamin Law and Paige Donald helped their tribe clinch a win over the Villains using finger spelling.

Fans on social media were in awe of the “bloody brilliant” skill.

“

Obsessed with the novelty, representation and extreme coolness that is using sign language to gain an advantage in a challenge #SurvivorAU

— Shannon Guss (Gaitz) (@ShannonGaitz) February 7, 2023

Watching sign language be used as a STRENGTH and strategy on survivor is so awesome. #SurvivorAU

— Bec (@becmatilda) February 7, 2023

Seeing sign language used in a #Survivor challenge is just so freaking cool. This could actually be a really handy skill to have in the game #SurvivorAUpic.twitter.com/Ym82ClDZRO

— Talking TV (@TalkingTVAus) February 8, 2023

Another sign language moment: the world’s current streaming obsession The Last of Us introduced two new characters in its fifth episode.

Henry (played by Lamar Johnson) and his little brother Sam (played by deaf actor Keivonn Woodard) communicate through sign language.

And though Keivonn’s character writes messages for Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), behind the scenes footage later revealed how the cast and crew learned ASL to communicate with the young actor on set.

Just last year, Coda – a film about a girl living with her deaf family, that was named after the term for ‘children of deaf adults’ – won Best Picture at the Oscars.

Coda took out three Oscars, including Best Picture, Bess Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor to Troy Kotsur, who signed the American national anthem at Super Bowl LVII. Picture: Supplied.

It seems like sign language has never been more visible or a more cool skill to have.

It is estimated there are more than 16,000 Auslan users in Australia, but there are only 500 to 6000 accredited interpreters around the country, according to Deaf Services and the Deaf Society chief impact officer Brent Phillips.

Mr Phillips who is a third-generation deaf person, told the ABC there was growing recognition and awareness to provide interpreters at events, and that their visibility had sparked intrigue.

“We’ve had a lot of queries around asking people where they can learn sign language, how can they become an interpreter, just from seeing interpreters on the screen,” he said.

Auslan interpreter Mikey Webb (L) became a minor celebrity in Queensland for his appearances at Covid and emergency press conferences. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Data shows more schools are teaching students Auslan in the wake of years of emergency press conferences featuring interpreters.

More than 1400 students are learning Auslan in Queensland state schools, while it is offered as a syllabus for NSW students from kindergarten to year 10, and in Victoria it is the fifth most-taught language in schools.

It is as the age-old adage goes: you can’t be what you can’t see and interpreter extraordinaire Mikey Webb said the increase in interest in Auslan was “the silver lining of a hellish few years” of seemingly endless emergency press conferences.

Originally published as Super Bowl: The woman who almost eclipsed Rihanna’s halftime show