Whew, we can hardly catch our breath, trying to keep up with pop-jazz vocalist Mandy Harvey. Throughout October, Mandy partnered with Voya Financial to celebrate Disability Empowerment Awareness Month (DEAM)—including a star-studded concert at the Kennedy Center promoting workplace inclusion for people of all abilities.
We love seeing Mandy’s effervescence in the spotlight and can’t get enough of her beautifully candid Instagram stories (@mandyharvey). Big news from her latest posts: Mandy just had cochlear implant (CI) surgery on her left ear. By regaining some of her hearing, Mandy’s looking forward to improving her French—and teaching her sweet son Louis to communicate in English, ASL, and French (her husband’s native tongue).
Backstage history
Singing since she was just four years old, Mandy is blessed with perfect pitch. But, as a college freshman, her hearing took an unexpected turn for the worse and faded completely.
Diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Mandy was momentarily bumped off course. But with encouragement and support from her family, she picked up a guitar and started practicing with her father. Those sessions put her back on track, helping her rediscover a new sense of self.
Today, this America’s Got Talent “golden buzzer” winner, uses visual tuners to help her perform, and has gone on to record five albums (Paper Cuts was released earlier this year).
Helping others be heard
Working closely with No Barriers and Invisible Disability Association, Mandy balances her artistry with advocacy. “We are so much stronger when we’re together. And the more diverse, the better we are!” she wrote in a recent Instagram post, and we couldn’t agree more.
Be sure to check out Mandy’s captivating biography, Sensing the Rhythm: Finding My Voice in a World Without Sound (Simon & Schuster), to learn more about her story.
We can’t wait to share all about Mandy’s product. Stand by for updates coming your way soon.
