Musical Artist Lachi : Sex, Love, And Visual Impairment

By Jennifer Price on October 5, 2020

When I think of the television show, “The Voice,” the first thing that comes to my mind is innovation. The show was innovative in its approach to determining, at least in the initial stages, who was voice-worthy to move on to the next stage of the singing competition. This hadn’t been done before. We had gotten used to competition shows like “American Idol” with hosts like Simon Cowell that provided commentary or non-verbal looks at the outset, simply based on how someone looked. 

These preconceived notions and judgmental attitudes are something we, as a society, have engaged in for so long, that it has become appreciated when someone is bold enough to say out loud what we’re thinking inside.

As such, there was something refreshing about just appreciating and enjoying the vocals. After all, that is ultimately why we decided whether someone should move forward. The performance was important as well, but you can’t dress up a great performance with bad vocals. 

My interview with Lachi reminded me “The Voice.” While I could see her and hear her, she could not benefit from the same. She is a talented singer with a beautiful voice who is partially blind in one eye and totally blind in the other eye. For the most part, my vocals during the conversation provided guidance as to the tone of the topic and me, the host – serious, jovial, friendly, funny. That is something you glean from watching it as well. There are moments when we discuss serious topics such as being a black female recording artist and times when we discuss lighter topics, like how she breaks the ice when she walks in a room full of people or strangers.

In the end, what you get from the interview is something similar to what you got from the “The Voice” – authenticity. Lachi is authentic in her approach to life, singing, and disability advocacy. She understands she has a platform, is breaking glass ceilings, and creating a path for others to follow. We’ve heard blind singers in the past, like Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, but how many female blind singers can you name? Lachi has recorded with artists like Snoop Doggy Dogg and Diplo, which is no small feat. She embraces her visual impairment, being a black woman, and her sexuality. 

As you watch the episode, think about how many people wish to be recording artists, the road it takes to get there, and how many people actually have a voice for it. If you wonder whether her voice is really as good as I’m writing about, I provide an exclusive of a new release of one of her songs at the end.

Enjoy!

–  Jennifer O. Price