Where do music’s biggest stars turn when they need a vocal tune up? Mama Jan. Jan Smith is a Grammy-nominated producer and vocal coach to the stars—working with chart-topping artists like Usher, Justin Beiber, The Band Perry, Rob Thomas, Drake, Sugarland, Ciara, and Collective Soul. In all, over 4,000 vocalists, musicians and producers have turned to Mama Jan and Jan Smith Studios for her tough love training and musical expertise. On this episode, Mama Jan shares her insight on talent development, the value of coaching, and how to deliver tough feedback.
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Show Notes
- How she became a vocal coach to the stars (2:16)
- How her background in psychology helps her in her career (5:43)
- The best way to deliver tough feedback (7:17)
- How to establish trust with an artist (8:53)
- Working with Justin Bieber as he embarked on his first tour (10:20)
- The value of coaching (14:26)
- Helping Usher navigate his career (16:38)
- How she decides who to work with (18:57)
- The credibility factor (19:53)
- The work she is most proud of (21:14)
- The biggest challenge in the industry right now (28:30)
- Learning from her own mistakes to use as a teaching tool (30:31)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Jan Smith Studios
- Usher
- Justin Bieber
- The Band Perry
- Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20)
- Drake
- Sugarland
- Collective Soul
- Billboard Women in Music
- Zac Brown Band
- Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (documentary)
- Usher and Andrea Bocelli- Amazing Grace performance
- India.Arie
- Monica
- Jill Scott
- Kisses from Katie (book)
- Beyonce
- Shania Twain
- Keyshia Cole
- Carly Simon
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