Jason Kearney

Jason Kearney

Musician | Songwriter | Producer | Mixing & Mastering Engineer

Born in Sydney, Australia in 1972, Jason Kearney’s relationship with music began before he could even speak. His parents recall him singing before he could talk—a gift that would later see him featured as a singing baby in a Pine O Cleen television commercial, perched on his nan’s lap.

Even at school, Jason’s musical obsession was apparent. Teachers would often say, “I wish you could remember your schoolwork the way you remember lyrics to songs,” because Jason was always singing. From his earliest memories, he was drawn to rhythm and melody with an almost magnetic pull. At just three years old, he’d transform his nan’s kitchen into a percussion paradise, creating drum kits from pots and pans whilst she encouraged his musical exploration. It was in his grandfather’s granny flat where he discovered the wider world of music, lying on the bed with a transistor radio, flicking through channels and absorbing sounds that would shape his musical DNA.

When his grandfather gifted him a world band radio, Jason’s musical horizons expanded exponentially. Despite not understanding the languages, he could feel the universal emotion in music from different countries—an early lesson in music’s power to transcend barriers.

Finding His Beat

Jason’s formal musical journey began at fourteen when he encountered his mate’s brother’s drum kit sitting in their living room. What should have been intimidation turned into revelation—Jason instinctively found the beat, displaying natural timing that impressed even the kit’s owner, who was taking lessons but couldn’t match Jason’s innate sense of rhythm.

After finishing Year 10, Jason began his apprenticeship as a signwriter, but music remained his true calling. He saved every penny from that first year and, without his parents’ knowledge, invested in his first drum kit. Following his personal motto of “ask for forgiveness, not permission,” he arrived home with the kit to his parents’ shock and horror. Set up in his bedroom with a small CD player, Jason taught himself by playing along to Australian legends like The Sunnyboys, Cold Chisel, AC/DC, and Midnight Oil.

The Evolution Begins

The ’90s brought grunge music and regular pilgrimages to Sydney’s Lansdowne Hotel every Friday night after work. These gigs became Jason’s informal music school, where he absorbed the energy of local and touring Australian bands whilst building relationships with musicians and venue staff who recognised him as a regular fixture.

A chance encounter in Caringbah would change everything. When a relative asked out of the blue if he could sing, Jason discovered another dimension of his musical abilities. What started as a casual band audition revealed a voice that had been developing since childhood—his parents had always said he sang before he could talk, and here was the proof.

The band that followed brought Jason his first taste of the Sydney music scene, supporting acts like You Am I and Tumbleweed. But when creative differences arose, Jason realised he needed to take control of his musical destiny.

During this period, Jason also took to busking on Friday and Saturday nights at Sydney’s Circular Quay and Kings Cross, playing songs on the street amidst the city’s vibrant nightlife. This street performing became an unexpected vocal training ground—singing over the ambient sounds of Sydney’s wild Friday night crowds naturally developed the powerful projection that would become a hallmark of his vocal style.

The Solo Journey

Guitar came naturally—learning cowboy chords from bandmate Johno, Jason began crafting his first songs. They were, by his own admission, pretty ordinary, but they were his. He became the guy at every party with the guitar, leading campfire singalongs and discovering the joy of bringing people together through music.

During a period living in a converted factory space—the entire upstairs transformed into a live studio—Jason created a musical sanctuary where volume restrictions didn’t exist. Late-night jams with fellow musicians became the norm, and it was here he purchased his first Tascam Portastudio, an 8-track recording unit that opened the door to capturing his musical ideas.

European Influences and Digital Discovery

Four years in London and extensive European travel broadened Jason’s musical palette. Armed with his guitar and a head full of songs, he discovered digital recording through Steinberg’s Cubasis—his first DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Despite using basic laptop soundcards from 2001-2002, Jason was fascinated by the possibilities of layering vocals, guitars, and VST drums.

The Learning Curve

Returning to Australia, Jason’s commitment to understanding recording deepened. He devoured a comprehensive book on music recording, reading it cover to cover multiple times. This theoretical foundation sparked a practical journey—gradually acquiring better audio interfaces, microphones, preamps, and monitors whilst developing his skills in recording, mixing, and mastering.

The Turning Point

A disappointing studio experience with a producer who wouldn’t allow creative input became Jason’s catalyst for complete musical independence. When the producer couldn’t hear obvious latency issues that Jason found distracting, it confirmed what he’d suspected: if these songs were going to be recorded properly, he’d need to do it himself.

This decision launched Jason’s most intensive learning period. Since 2008, he’d been running his own business, but music remained his constant companion—what he calls “the siren song” that’s always calling from the back of his mind, with lyrical ideas and melodies constantly haunting him.

Recognition and Confidence

Participating in Johnny’s songwriting retreats near Tamworth proved transformative. Working alongside award-winning Australian country music artists and up-and-coming songwriters, Jason found validation for his talents. When established artists began seeking him out for collaborations and praising his songwriting and vocal abilities, it provided the confidence boost he’d been seeking since his younger days.

The Modern Era

COVID-19 lockdowns became Jason’s intensive recording bootcamp. Set up in a dedicated studio room with high-end equipment and professional monitoring, he released his first single, “Coming Down on Me.” The lockdowns taught him to work with remote musicians, utilising online platforms to collaborate with players worldwide and incorporating high-quality VST instruments sampled in legendary studios.

His DAW journey has remained loyal to Steinberg—from Cubasis to his current Cubase setup—and his skills in MIDI programming, production, arrangement, recording, mixing, and mastering continue to evolve with each project.

The Vision Forward

Now committed to releasing new music every four to six weeks, Jason is building a catalogue of songs that represent years of musical evolution and technical development. His goal is to create a substantial body of work—around twenty strong songs—before taking his music on the road with professional musicians whose lives revolve around music.

Jason acknowledges there’s little money in music at his level, but that’s never been the driving force. Music has been his constant companion, his creative outlet, and his way of connecting with the world. As he puts it, it’s “like an exorcism”—getting these songs out of him and sharing them with the world because they need to be heard.

From a three-year-old banging on his nan’s pots and pans to a seasoned songwriter, producer, and engineer working from his Sydney base, Jason Kearney represents the quintessential Australian musical journey—self-taught, determined, and driven by an unshakeable belief that music is meant to be shared.

Currently based in Sydney, Australia, Jason continues to write, record, produce, mix, and master his music whilst building towards live performances that will bring his extensive catalogue to audiences across the country.