What is Synesthesia?

Definition: Synesthesia is a rare neurological condition in which a person’s senses blend together. Instead of experiencing each sense separately, people with synesthesia — called synesthetes — may see colors when they hear music, feel textures when they taste food, or associate letters and numbers with specific colors, shapes, or personalities. It’s not a disorder but rather a unique perceptual phenomenon that can make the world feel more vivid, connected, and multi-layered.

How Rare is Synesthesia?

Prevalence: Synesthesia is considered rare. Studies estimate that about 2% to 4% of the world’s population has some form of it, though many people may have mild forms without realizing it. It often runs in families and can appear in childhood, remaining throughout life.

Not a Disorder: Synesthesia is not classified as a disorder because it doesn’t negatively affect daily life — in fact, many synesthetes find it enhances creativity and memory. It’s better described as a neurological condition or perceptual phenomenon.

Examples

There are more than 80 documented types of synesthesia! Here are some of the most common:

Grapheme-Color Synesthesia: Letters and numbers appear in specific colors.

Chromesthesia: Sounds, music, or voices trigger colors, shapes, or textures.

Lexical-Gustatory Synesthesia: Words trigger specific tastes.

Mirror-Touch Synesthesia: Feeling a physical sensation when seeing someone else being touched.

Number Form Synesthesia: Seeing numbers mapped in mental spatial arrangements.

Synesthesia has inspired many well-known artists and musicians:

Kandinsky (Painter): Considered the first artist to describe painting music he could see.

Pharrell Williams (Musician): Describes seeing music in color and shapes.

Billy Joel (Musician): Associates music notes and keys with colors.

Duke Ellington (Composer): Saw colors when hearing musical notes.

Lorde (Musician): Uses colors to describe and guide her songwriting.

Billie Eilish (Musician): Experiences chromesthesia and uses it to shape the mood and visuals of her music.

Beyoncé (Musician): Has spoken about experiencing colors and textures when working on songs.

Curious to learn how I translate my synesthesia into art?: Visit my About Me page to see how I bring my multi-sensory world to life on canvas and beyond. If you’d like to dive deeper into the fascinating world of synesthesia, visit The Synesthesia Tree for more stories, research, and resources.