The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts presents Mandy Harvey

Award-winning jazz singer-songwriter and America's Got Talent finalist Mandy Harvey brings her uplifting music to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30 at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts.

A deaf performer and motivational speaker, Harvey lost her residual hearing when she was 18. Incorporating American Sign Language into her rich performance, Harvey glides from a "breathy jazz standard to growling blues" that gets the audience up on its feet (LA Times), and although she can't hear the applause or her own remarkable voice, she continues to find joy in music and inspire all who can listen.

Formerly a Vocal Music Education major at Colorado State University, Harvey lost her residual hearing in 2006 at age 18 due to a neurological disorder that affected her nerves and left the program. She pursued several career options, including education, but returned to music in 2008. She quickly became a regular performer at various venues and has released three albums thus far.

In 2011, Harvey won Very Special Arts' (VSA) Top Young Soloist Award and lived a personal dream of performing at the Kennedy Center in DC. She continues to perform around the United States and has been featured on NBC Nightly News, Canada AM, The Steve Harvey Show, and the Los Angeles Times, and won fourth place on season 12 of America's Got Talent. In addition to performing and speaking, Harvey is currently writing her first book, and helping others to realize their dreams and pursue their hopes. She is an ambassador for both No Barriers USA and Invisible Disabilities Association with a mission to encourage and assist others to break through their personal barriers.

Though her hearing loss is profound, Harvey's timing and pitch are perfect and her passion is tremendous.

Tickets, starting at $20 for adults and $10 for full-time Pepperdine students, are available now by calling (310) 506-4522 or visiting arts.pepperdine.edu.

The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University provides high-quality activities for over 50,000 people from over 800 zip codes annually through performances, rehearsals, museum exhibitions, and master classes. Located on Pepperdine's breathtaking Malibu campus overlooking the Pacific, the center serves as a hub for the arts, uniquely linking professional guest artists with Pepperdine students as well as patrons from surrounding Southern California communities. Facilities include the 450-seat Smothers Theatre, the 118-seat Raitt Recital Hall, the "black box" Helen E. Lindhurst Theatre, and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art.

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