Even as a toddler, Janai Brugger tapped into the gift of her amazing voice. The Grammy-winning opera singer shares a story that predates her own memories: “My mom heard me singing in the car at 2 years old, totally in tune, to Tina Turner’s ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It,’ ” says Brugger, who grew up in southwest suburban Darien. Now 43 and living in Wicker Park, she juggles life as a single mom to a teenager with being an internationally renowned performer, trilling Puccini, Mozart, and Gershwin on stages from Hong Kong to Amsterdam. At home this summer, she performed at Ravinia and the Grant Park Music Festival. This fall, she returns to the Met in New York for the world-premiere operatic adaptation of the George Saunders novel Lincoln in the Bardo. Amid managing her many responsibilities, Brugger factors her vocal health into her day-to-day wellness routine.
RUN TIME
“I’m a terrible runner. I’m always starting, stopping, starting, stopping — but it’s the attempt that counts! When I do get into it, I love it. It helps my stamina, especially with singing, because it’s all about breath control. I also have those elastic bands, which are really good for stretching after a run.”
SPILL THE TEA
“I try to avoid dairy, but if I want ice cream, I’ll eat ice cream. I’ll have a glass of wine after a show, for sure. But I don’t go out for days leading up to one, just so I can rest my voice. I drink a lot of Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat tea, which I love. It’s thicker, very soothing, with a little spice to it. It relaxes the muscles in your throat. Or I’ll go old school and do a tablespoon of honey with some lemon juice on it.”
THE AIR UP THERE
“Way before COVID, I was wearing facemasks on planes because the air can dry your throat. I have a special kind for singers that looks like an oxygen mask. It keeps your vocal cords moist and hydrated.”
FACING THE DAY
“I always wash my face at the sink, never in the shower. Then I put on an astringent, then moisturizer, and I always put on sunblock, even in winter, even when it’s not sunny. I love Shiseido’s. It glides on your face but isn’t sticky and doesn’t smell. I use that every day, religiously.”
Web Behrens is the contributing Go editor for Chicago magazine.