Talent is God given, so goes the saying. Indeed it is when you meet Deaf Star that you get surprised the way a deaf person can translate and interpret music into sign language.
I met Deaf Star real names Frank Buule at the National Theatre while he was practicing his thing (translating music into sign language). I was forced to have chat with him as I had never seen anything of the kind.
As we were talking Deaf Star kept looking at me and the flow of my lips which made me to shy away, I tried keeping my face down but he was free to tell me I get to know people’s messages through their lip movements.
Buule was born in 1999 to Steven Bwete and Peninah Namubiru in Makindye Ssabagabo Kampala district . He was born deaf with only 10% hearing capacity. He was initially taken to an ordinary school at Wabigalo primary school. His hearing inadequacies forced his grandparents and caretakers to move him to Ntinda school for the deaf where he completed his Primary Leaving Examinations.
“While at Uganda school for the deaf Ntinda I met a girl who was talking to me using sign language though I didn’t understand her well, I picked interest in learning the language. This gave me a new life and chapter,” says Deaf Star.
Buule advanced to secondary at Wakiso Secondary school for his secondary education and it’s here that he completed his O’ level education. While at the school, Buule was appointed as the Music Dance and Drama (MDD) prefect due to his love of music and dance.
A lover of dance, music, fashion and chatting, Deaf star spends most of his time listening to the music of the Late Mowzy Radio to he performs. He believes this is one of the reasons why he was tasked with MDD at his School
“In this position I was tasked with the entertainment at school we used to carry out deaf dance competitions but I discovered music was the missing bit. I had to see how I could let them feel the music I used to listen to. thought I could translate the songs to sign language and since then I have tried to go professional”
Deaf Star says that through his project Sign Music he wants to interpret Uganda’s Music into sign language which will make it easy communicate with the deaf.
“Through Deaf star Music I want to see all Ugandan musicians and people develop sign language music and add them to their music videos for easier interpreting,” He says he has received positive responses so far from artistes like Fefe Busi, Tip Swizzy, Wembly mo, Eddy Wiz and the Ghetto kids on this project.
Deaf Star says he is grateful to his dad who has been able to financially support him as he takes care of all his financial needs and also to his grandparents who have been able to raise him since childhood to date.
It hasn’t been smooth sailing though. Music producers have been particularly less accommodating of his talent in addition to their hesitation to pay for his works. For example, during a recent Marathon for the deaf, he was invited to perform his music for the deaf but refused to pay him at the end of the event.
