10 Artists who see sound: Musicians with Synesthesia

Some artists hear—and see—their music. This phenomenon, known as synesthesia, causes sensory pathways to overlap. In musicians, this often results in sound triggering involuntary visual experiences such as colors, shapes, and textures. Across genres from pop to electronic to film scoring, artists like Billie Eilish, Aphex Twin, and Hans Zimmer harness synesthesia in their creative process. Here are ten artists who experience sound in color—and how that influences their art.

1. Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish has synesthesia that links sound, color, shape, smell, temperature, and texture. She described assigning colors to days of the week and to musical elements.

“For instance every day of the week has a color, a number, a shape. Sometimes things have a smell … or a temperature, or a texture.” (H/T clclt.com, nylon.com)
She credits synesthesia as central to her songwriting, visual branding, album artwork, and even her fragrance line. (H/T vogue.com)

2. Kanye West

Kanye West clearly describes synesthesia in his own words.

“I have a condition called synesthesia where I see sounds… everything I sonically make is a painting.” (H/T acrosstheculture.com)
He links instruments to color—pianos appear blue, snares appear white, basslines appear dark brown or purple. This visual layer influences how he produces, arranges, and performs music.

3. Lorde

Lorde experiences sound-to-color synesthesia and assigns colors to notes, chords, and entire compositions. She credits this with inspiring “Green Light,” which she said looked green in her mind.
Her unique color-music mapping influences song structure, tone, and emotional arc. (H/T Live Science)

Thistle Brown

4. Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer says he hears colors when composing.

“Hearing colours is real. It’s a mental disorder called ‘Synesthesia.’” (H/T firstshowing.net)
He uses musical motifs tied to color palettes—letting hue guide the emotional shape of film scores. This method helps him build cinematic tension through both visual and sonic balance. (H/T interlude.hk)

5. Billy Joel

Billy Joel has openly discussed his experience with synesthesia, particularly grapheme-color and chromesthesia. In interviews, he explained that he associates certain melodies and lyrics with vivid colors—seeing musical notes and words in hues like blues, greens, or reds depending on their tone and emotion. This neurological condition has shaped his songwriting process, with Joel once saying that the “key of C is white, and the key of A minor is like a deep purple.” His synesthetic perception adds an extra dimension to his creative work, blending sound and color in a way few musicians experience. (H/T Mental Floss)

6. Alison Wonderland

Alison Wonderland describes her music and live sets in emotional and visual language. She often refers to texture, movement, and color when discussing her production process.
While she doesn’t publicly label it as synesthesia, her artistic language mirrors chromesthetic perception. Her stage shows and song arrangements reflect this cross-sensory input. (H/T Wikipedia)

7. Aphex Twin (Richard D. James)

Aphex Twin frequently appears on lists of confirmed synesthetic artists. Critics and fans alike cite how his compositions evoke vivid geometric and color-based sensations.

“He has been described as having a form of synesthesia that allows him to see music as shapes and patterns.” (H/T audiocipher.com)
While rarely giving interviews, his sound design and visual direction reflect intense sensory crossover.

8. Charli XCX

Charli XCX openly states that she sees music in color.

“I see music in colours. I love music that’s black, pink, purple or red—but I hate music that’s green, yellow or brown.” (H/T en.wikipedia.org)
She applies these associations when composing, mixing, and designing the visual identity of her releases.

Courtesy of Atlantic

9. Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean has referred to chromesthesia, particularly in how he experienced the color orange while falling in love—an idea that inspired the title Channel Orange.
Though less vocal about the condition than others, his music often reflects a color-conscious emotional palette. (H/T en.wikipedia.org)

10. Tame Impala (Kevin Parker)

Kevin Parker, the mastermind behind Tame Impala, experiences strong visual associations with sound. While he doesn’t use the word “synesthesia” often, media outlets and fans have linked his studio techniques to chromesthetic perception.
His psychedelic soundscapes and immersive mixes suggest a deeply color-coded creative process. (H/T celebitchy.com)

Provided by Outside Organisation

Conclusion

These ten artists—from Billie Eilish and Kanye West to Aphex Twin and Charli XCX—transform music into multisensory experiences through synesthesia. Their ability to connect sound with visuals allows them to approach songwriting, production, and branding in a distinct and emotionally resonant way. As more artists speak about the role of synesthesia in their work, it’s clear this condition offers a powerful edge in shaping how we hear—and see—music.

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Deadmau5 has synesthesia. This was based on a misinterpreted quote referencing VJ software called “Synesthesia.” There is no public statement or confirmation that Deadmau5 experiences synesthesia. We apologize for the error.