EXCLUSIVE: Emma Watkins hasn’t been Yellow Wiggle since 2021.
Since then, the 36-year-old has turned her energy to a new project close to her heart, creating accessible music for children who are hard of hearing.
Watkins, known as Emma Memma, teamed up with deaf children’s entertainer Elvin Lam, aka Elvin Melvin, after her departure from The Wiggles to create music that is fully accessible to all children.
Watkins and Lam’s tour for their new album Dance Island Party includes Lam who translates the songs into Auslan, the language of the deaf community in Australia.
The pair spoke to nine.com.au at the ARIA Awards on Wednesday evening about the importance of making music accessible for all children.
”This is the first time Elvin has ever been able to attend the ARIAs,” Watkins said.
“Deaf people can’t hear music the same as other people,” Lam said through an Auslan interpreter.
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“We can’t understand it the same as people who can hear, so if we integrate sign language with the songs, it becomes a smooth process for any child to be able to listen.”
For Watkins, the initiative is near and dear to her heart.
“I grew up with deaf friends; it was important that a lot of things in my life were accessible,” she said.
“Elvin and I worked on an accessible theatre company together and since then, we were like – we really need to do this and make sure all music is accessible to all children and families.”
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The pair have been on tour across the country.
Watkins and Lam revealed that there are special moments during and after the show that show them the impact accessible music has.
“Often we met a lot of deaf people, a lot of deaf children and a lot of their parents say, ‘Thank you for being the inspiration for my children’,” Lam said.
“They copy the signs at home, they sing and dance along like any other child, it’s really wonderful to see.”
“We actually see during the shows children having conversations directly with Elvin while the shows are going on, that really is a testament to how amazing Elvin is as a performer and that children are so excited to see him.”
The pair took home the ARIA for Best Children’s Album of the Year.
“THANK YOU to all the families that have been connecting with our album ‘Dance Island Party!’ through streaming and coming to our tour – it means so much,” Watkins wrote on Instagram after the win.
“Thank you to everyone for acknowledging our integration of sign language into everything we do!
“To Elvin – thank you for inspiring us and bringing so much fun and creativity to our work, incorporating Auslan artistically (and for joining us for your first ARIAs!!)”
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