Justin Timberlake’s former vocal coach says Reagan Strange has big career ahead

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - If you live in the Mid-South and have dreams of stardom, Bob Westbrook is the singing coach to the stars.

So it’s no surprise the Mid-South’s own Reagan Strange flourished under his tutelage. And he says it’s no surprise she’s on the rise on NBC’s hit singing contest “The Voice.”

From Justin Timberlake to Britney Spears and Lucy Hale, voice, acting and songwriting coach Bob Westbrook is no stranger to A-list stars. He began working with Reagan at the ripe age of 7.

“She’s brilliant and you can tell she loves to sing even at 7 years old," said Westbrook.

He was right from the beginning.

“She did her first public performance at Holiday Ham and she sang ‘Dynamite’," he remembered.

The idol maker took us inside the studio where he turned the talented into worldwide icons and gave us an inside peek at his wall of fame and the hard work it takes to turn someone like Reagan Strange into a star.

“You demonstrate once and she does it and adds her own little twist to it. That’s talent," said Westbrook.

But to make it big he says you have to take talent to the next level. He says they developed Reagan’s signature vibrato.

“She knows how to fall off the notes with a style, without getting out of tune and she does it automatically now," he said. “People are born with talent. She was, but until they have lessons, they don’t correct their mistakes on their own unless they have the luck to copy the singer.”

And Westbrook is convinced that Reagan won’t be singing cover tunes for long. He has high hopes - win, lose or draw - that this 14-year-old will soon release her own original songs.

“She has a career ahead of her just like Justin,” said Westbrook.

Reagan performs with the top 8 on “The Voice” Monday at 7 on WMC Action News 5. Stay tuned Tuesday to see if she makes it to the finals.

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