Andre Louis: I'm absolutely blown away by Envision

This User Spotlight was a delightful chance where we got to discuss with Andre Louis, a blind musician, about his journey with Envision. Andre is totally blind since birth. He is married to a wonderful, sighted woman and has two children. He has been playing the keyboard for more than 30 years now. He is a sound designer and music composer too. He believes that music can be representative of what something stands for. Interestingly, we at Envision work with Andre for all our music requirements. We liked the idea of working with a talent in the community.

What does your typical day look like?

My typical day is when I'm either at home or head out for gigs. While I am at home, I read a lot. I'm a Youtube creator as well, so I spend some good share of my time on that. Apart from this, I practise for gigs. When I have to head out for gigs, it is to perform at gigs or related to that. My wife takes care of a lot of other things that need attention in the house.

What is the biggest hurdle that limits you?

Biggest hurdle that limits me has to be related to my gigs. So, some people don’t hire me if they've to pay me for my travel. I usually have to carry a keyboard, an amplifier and a white cane, so in that case, it is easier for me to travel by Uber. When the performance is some place far away, the travel turns out to be expensive. But it is practically very difficult for me to travel by public transport when I've all of this to carry along with me. It is a very evident display of lack of empathy.

In which instances do you use Envision in your daily life?

I'm absolutely blown away by Envision. I use it day-to-day, to check my mails, read displays. Envision reads small displays, backs of devices when no other app would. For instance, the other day I was in a car, pointed out the window, it read number plates/ sign boards while passing. Now that is something else.

How did you do these tasks before using Envision?

I've tried a whole variety of apps that claim to do these things. None of them is what Envision is. I also remember relying on people to read out things to me. It definitely was not a great feeling to depend on people and apps that are not all that good.

How has Envision impacted your life?

Envision to me means freedom of movement. It has given me enormous independence.

What do you like most about Envision?

Instant Read is my favourite feature in Envision. It is incredibly fast and accurate which is the perfect combination. My keyboard has two big screens, they’re not accessible and I use Envision to read those. 

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What is the one thing that you wish sighted people understood about living with visual impairment?

That is a well thought out question. People need to understand two things. Firstly, there are different levels of blindness. Secondly, we don’t always need help. 

What is a life hack you swear by?

Everything can be found on YouTube. Such good content is available on YouTube and at different levels. A rookie can find basic information and an expert can dwell deeper in his domain of interest.

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Andre's love for music and his witty personality is something that will definitely hold everyone's attention. We thoroughly enjoy working with him and we wish him the best in all his endeavours.

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Here's a short audio that he shared with us: