Musician KT Tunstall has stepped into a new role as composer for a theatrical production marking her return to the Edinburgh Fringe after nearly three decades. The show, titled The Singer, presents the story of two struggling musicians—one who is deaf—and represents a collaboration between theatre practitioner Cora Bissett and performer Jamie Rea, who graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's innovative degree programme combining British Sign Language with conventional performance training. The production stands out within Scottish theatre for its deliberate integration of deaf and hearing artists across all levels of the creative team.

The production has introduced novel technical approaches to enable meaningful participation by both deaf and hearing performers. Most notably, Rea uses a specially-designed vibration vest that transmits rhythmic information through physical sensation, allowing him to independently generate percussion elements during performance. Tunstall's involvement carries personal significance—her brother is profoundly deaf, and she experienced partial hearing loss in one ear in 2018, giving her distinctive perspective on music-making. The composer deliberately designed the musical composition to ensure that all audience members, regardless of auditory ability, derive equivalent value and enjoyment from the experience.