Singing with Jakarra H.

Jakarra Howard is a Voice Care Specialist, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Performance from Kalamazoo College. In addition to her degree, she has gained knowledge of how the voice works through completed course work in Speech Language Pathology including courses in voice disorders and interventions. As a member of the Voice Foundation, Jakarra is currently working toward a Masters in Speech Language Pathology, along with certifications from various vocal health institutions. Her music career spans more than 15 years and includes various musical performances, along with the opportunity to teach voice and piano to many. She’s had the pleasure of opening for many popular artists, performing a rendition of “The National Anthem” at a Detroit Lions game, and singing for former Michigan House Representative Carolyn Kilpatrick. She has also provided background vocals for many artists, while working on personal music projects. Internationally, Jakarra has performed as the lead vocalist during a tour to Japan with the Kalamazoo Jazz Ensemble. While performing and teaching, Jakarra began to notice that many singers, including her, were not reaching their full, singing potential. Why? Because the whole body was not totally prepared for the various projects that a singer often encountered. Through this experience, she realized a fascination with the “singing voice” and began to understand that singers are athletes. Therefore, just as athletes train, a singer must also constantly train to keep the voice and body in shape. Along with her fascination, Jakarra has a passion to help singers perform at their most optimal level. She created Voice Couture Consulting (VCC) to provide a service where singers can learn about their whole body as it relates to their voice and prepare their voice and body for each project. Since everyone is different, VCC custom designs a combination of approaches to specifically fit each singer. This includes a tailored program that provides nutrition and exercise routines. Jakarra believes this program will help singers to know their voices inside and out. From the background singer to the lead vocalist, Jakarra is excited about helping singers reach their full potential!