Nuts & Bolts: Exclusive interview with 'Idol's voice coach

Behind the scenes of every television show is an army of people. American Idol is no different. We may only see Ryan, Randy, Jennifer, Steven and the diminishing parade of finalists, but there are dozens of folks who help make the show work yet receive no fanfare.

Debra Byrd, the vocal coach for American Idol, is one such person. She has an impressive background in the music industry, having worked with Barry Manilow, Bob Dylan, Roberta Flack and Bob Geldof. The woman knows how to sing, so it’s no surprise American Idol — and Canadian Idol, when it was on-air — has been paying her to guide and help young singers excel in the hit singing competition.

We caught Byrd bright and early this past Thursday morning to talk about American Idol’s current crop, her time on Canadian Idol and her secrets to singing success.

TVGuide.ca: This group of finalists is so strong. How do you feel about them?
Debra Byrd: When we had 40 kids, I remember sitting and watching one of the tapings during Hollywood Week and I said, “Oh my goodness, some of these people have to go home,” and they were really, really, really good people. Extraordinarily good people. I remember lamenting some of them had to go home. And I said, “I’m glad I’m not one of the ones who has to make that decision.” Even right now, as wonderful as these contestants are in the Top 8, there are people who never made it past the Top 24. I still think about them and wonder where they are. I wonder if they are OK and if they will audition again.

TVG: How has your involvement with the show changed this season? With Jimmy Iovine on-board and his group of producers, how has your role changed? DB: The good part is, because Jimmy Iovine is there constantly, the performers have built a relationship with them. That’s different. We speak about him when I am one-on-one with the contestants. That has changed, because of his presence, his energy and his input. It changes the dynamic. We talk about him more. (Laughs) That would be the most obvious change; he comes up in conversation quite often. I’m watching the show unfold, and having him there gives me a glimpse of the reality of it. (Former mentor) Clive Davis wasn’t as hands-on, because he was in New York and Jimmy is based in L.A.

TVG: You’ve very much behind the scenes on American Idol. Do you like that role, or do you prefer being onstage?
DB: I love both. The same day I was offered this new show called American Idol, two hours before that I was offered the chance to reprise my role in Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk. So, that morning I was called to reprise my role, which I had done for two years and I loved it. I remember being offered it and thinking, “Oh, I’ll be on the road again for two more years.” And then I received a phone call that said, “OK, there’s a new TV show, and it’s for a trial period of three weeks. You are not on-camera. You are not the star. You are not the focus. Can you deal with that?” My famous last words were, “I don’t know what American Idol is, but count me in.” I was only hired for three weeks.

What appealed to me, being behind the scenes, was passing along information about performing, about how they could use their voices, techniques about performing when physically and mentally it’s so challenging. I said, “Absolutely. And sleep in my own bed? Count me in!”

TVG: What’s your approach to working with a new crop of kids each season?
DB: The line that I use and adhere to is: I like to meet them where they are. I’ve had singers on American Idol who have never performed anyplace except their cars or the shower. Then I’ve had singers who have had bands and record deals and been performing, and they had no fear in terms of performing. Others fall in between. So, I like to meet them where they are in terms of their experience. That’s a joy for me; it’s never, ever boring. I give them information, see how they receive it, and move them forward with the amount of expertise that they need.

TVG: What’s your take on Pia being sent home last week? What was your reaction? DB: I was shocked. I never expected it. And the contestants feel whatever emotion they feel about it — their shock, wonder and awe of it all. I remind them of Chris Daughtry. I remind them of Jennifer Hudson. And I said, “It’s OK gang, it’s quite all right. Now that a front-runner is not there, what are you going to do with your performance? What are you going to bring to the table now?” I watched them all go, “Oh! Hmmm, let me think about that.” TVG: You’re as much a life coach as you are a vocal coach, right? DB: That’s what they tell me and I really enjoy it. We do speak about this being a family, and how they fit into this competition with their lives.

TVG: What can you tell me about the items on your website, the Pocket Tones Pitch Pipe and the American Idol songbooks?
DB: (Laughs) Let me start with the songbooks. I love those songbooks. The reason Alfred Music Publishing included me — and I wrote the introduction on them and talk about audition techniques, nervousness, how to present yourself — is because singers always need tools about how to audition. There are male and female versions of the songbooks. They have interactive CDs in them, and you can take the CD and put it into your computer — not your boom box — and it has karaoke tracks on it. If you want to sing like Kelly Clarkson — and Kelly Clarkson sings very high — you can adjust the key to fit your voice. It’s a great audition tool. You can lower or raise the key to fit your voice.

The Pocket Tone Pitch Pipe is a new school pitch pipe. I know a cappella groups who love it because they can fit it in their hand and don’t have to blow into it. They can lower the volume so only they can hear it, or so the group can hear it. It’s just a new-school way of being cool, I call it.

TVG: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me, Byrd.
DB: Thank you and tell everyone in Canada, “I miss you,” because I really do.

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Greg has been a fan of TV since he was five years old, eating dry cereal in front of the TV with his sisters watching Sesame Street, and scrambling downstairs after dinner to watch Polka Dot Door. His influential teen years were taken up by equal parts of The A-Team, The Greatest American Hero, The Incredible Hulk, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Magnum P.I. and Friday Night Videos as well as daily doses of Toronto Rocks and the Power Hour on MuchMusic. He is continually fascinated with the television process from idea to pilot episode and network pickup, development and casting right through to air, and likes all genres of TV.

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