A High Note

by Ginger Emas Schlanger | The Atlantan magazine | December 27, 2011

Imagine you’re Justin Bieber’s vocal coach and you’re on the road with his My World tour. Three days before the final concert at Madison Square Garden, Bieber’s voice begins to fail. What do you do? If you’re Jan Smith, you cancel that night’s sold-out show, order Bieber to 36 hours of complete vocal rest, then use your expertise to build back his voice in time for the biggest night of his life.

That’s why Smith is one of the most renowned vocal consultants in the world. Her client roster also includes India.Arie, Rob Thomas, Usher, Collective Soul, Drake, Sugarland and more than 4,000 students over the last 25 years from all around the world. But her heart belongs to her home state, where Smith was recently inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and shared the stage with two of her hottest clients.

“I was honored that Usher and Justin flew in to support me and present this award,” says Smith, whom her clients call “Mama Jan.” During his speech, Usher declared himself proof that “behind every amazing artist there’s Jan Smith.”

Smith’s path to becoming the “go-to girl” was as unpredictable as stardom itself. She recorded her first album at 15, fronted several bands that opened for Southern rock royalty such as Bonnie Raitt, Kansas and Atlanta Rhythm Section, and dreamed of one day winning a Grammy. But in the mid ’80s, a request from the owner of The Atlanta School of Rock changed everything. “He asked if I could help one of his students who was struggling with his voice,” recalls Smith. “I felt that I could.”

Word spread fast; soon Smith was coaching more than 60 students a week. She finally incorporated Jan Smith Studios in 1999, and her reputation and rise among vocalists and record labels is practically legend. “It helps that I’m a singer,” says Smith. “I understand in a very personal way the demands on the voice and the toll of being on the road.” Now she can finally add Grammy nominee to her list of accolades. Smith co-produced “Born to be Somebody” for Bieber, which is nominated for “Best Song Written for Visual Media” this year.

Smith is also a gifted communicator who has developed custom vocal exercises for her students and knows what it takes to keep a voice healthy. She translates that in her tough-love style that’s evident in Bieber’s movie, Never Say Never, and in her appearance on The Real Housewives of Atlanta with Kim Zolciak. “In an industry where people often tell artists what they want to hear, I tell them what they need to hear,” Smith says.

Still, she didn’t expect any of this. “I was thinking one thing and God was preparing me for another. I’d been performing for decades without ever getting over the top. But I found that I loved helping other singers.” This allowed Smith to be creative in a different way.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about the music,” adds Smith. “Music is the only thing that can enter our heart and mind without our permission.”