Mandy Harvey

So I studied a lot with the balloon, and in learning how to sing with other musicians and keep in time - that's all by touch. A lot of that I feel in my body, and growing up with hearing I have pretty good muscle memory, and I was born with near perfect pitch.

My feeling of security really went down the tubes when I couldn't hear anymore. When it got dark, I'd get very afraid because I can't hear people coming up behind me.

My understanding of current music stopped in 2006, so I am continually inspired by music from the past. Three Dog Night, Harry Nilsson, Bob Dylan, Herman’s Hermits, Association, Eagles, Beatles, Stones, Turtles, Animals... this list goes on forever."

I grew up with hearing, so I have a really good understanding of music theory and the structure of music.

My touring band, they're just brilliant, and all of them are learning ASL, so the wall of communication is breaking.

There have been a couple of times I've started the song in the wrong key. We stop the song, we all laugh together and we start the song again, and we go for it.

I never thought I would do a TV show, I never thought I could do it, so I was not expecting a really good performance. It was more about building confidence, and good or bad, I was encouraging other people and pushing myself.

I don’t live my life based on fear of failure. I live my life with an understanding of failure and I’m embracing it, because every time I fail, I learn something new."

I didn't wake up one day and just couldn't hear. I woke up one day and realized I was having difficulty, and that I had overcompensated by lip reading, so that I didn't really understand how bad it was.

I wanted to encourage people around me to evaluate their lives and see where they are holding themselves back. I wanted them to dream again.

I found my way back into music and realized that it's not that the music went away after losing my hearing, I just get the privilege of enjoying it and experiencing it differently.

If I take back any of the bumps, bruises or scrapes I’ve been through. I wouldn’t be the same person."