Health and safety concerns ruined a Glenrothes schoolgirl’s chances of appearing on stage with Lewis Capaldi to interpret one of his songs in sign language.
Niamdh Braid, 10, who has hearing loss, had learned how to sign Capaldi’s hit Someone You Loved and the singer was reportedly keen for her to join him on stage when he performed at the weekend Belladrum Festival.
But her mother Sam, 37, said Naimdh was not allowed on stage because of “health and safety” issues.
Capaldi did, however, meet the family backstage and belted out the hit so Niamdh, who uses hearing aids, could sign along.
Niamdh said it was “really cool and amazing” to meet Capaldi at the festival in Beauly, Inverness-shire, and said hearing loss is no barrier to enjoying music, having gone to Belladrum since she was four years old.
Sam said: “He (Lewis Capaldi) was all for it, and his management team were all for it, but the Belladrum people said there were concerns about health and safety.”
On Friday, Sam received a phone call to say Niamdh and her brother Billy, 8, would be able to meet Capaldi backstage.
“Niamdh offered to show him the performance and Lewis Capaldi sang a cappella. Lewis Capaldi was blown away.”
Sam added: “Niamdh wanted to show people that just because you are deaf, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy music.
“She wanted to send the message that for deaf people, festivals should be accessible.”
A spokesman for Belladrum Festival said: “We are so glad Niamdh Braid spent 20 minutes with Lewis Capaldi at Belladrum and signed an a cappella version of ‘Someone You Loved’ with him.
“This has gone viral and will help promote the use of British Sign Language.
“The decision not to have Niamdh signing live on stage with Lewis was not taken by anyone in the Belladrum team.”
Sam also wanted to raise awareness of the challenges facing deaf youngsters.
According to the National Deaf Children’s Society there has been a significant drop in specialist teachers for the deaf.
The society has called for action to tackle the attainment gap between deaf pupils and those with no hearing loss, with deaf pupils eight times more likely to leave school with no qualifications according to recent research.
Sam said she had not been able to find anyone to teach Niamdh sign language and she had taught herself with the help of YouTube videos.
“It’s amazing to think that Niamdh is self taught,” she said.
“Niamdh already has moderate to severe hearing loss and her hearing might deteriorate in the future. Nobody knows what will happen with Niamdh’s hearing in the future and we can’t get anybody to teach her.”
