Austin Willacy  •  he/him/his  •  Berkeley, CA

Austin Willacy is a pop and a cappella artist who writes, arranges, music directs, produces, and records different genres for television, film, and other artists. He has over 25 years of experience in the music industry, and has extensive experience mentoring and collaborating with a diverse range of vocalists, songwriters, DJs, and other producers, of all ages, as well as expansive studio experience.

Austin is a veteran member of The House Jacks; with whom he has performed over 2500 shows in 15 countries. Austin is a multi-award-winning songwriter and serves as The House Jacks’ wisdom keeper, tending the bridge between the band’s rich history and its vibrant present. He is the driving force behind the scenes, leading the band in pursuing opportunities, writing original music, and running the business. He is known and beloved for his huge heart, his bear hugs, his versatile high tenor voice, his warmth, and his playful theatricality when The House Jacks take requests from the audience. As a clinician, Austin’s decades of experience in facilitation and as the mentor/director of a teen a cappella group position him to be very adept at connecting with groups of all ages. He is kind, approachable, broadly experienced, and loves teaching workshops on songwriting, music production, arranging, healthy communication, effective collaboration, and cooperative games.

Austin is a loyal friend, a non-judgmental listener, a proud uncle and godfather and a game geek who thrives on travel and loves staying active. For the past 25 years, Austin has directed ‘Til Dawn, Youth in Arts’ award-winning teen a cappella group that empowers youth to find their voices in many ways. Inspired by his youth work, the Apple Store in San Francisco hired him to do an Apple Music Lab on Finding Your Creative Voice and Songwriting Basics on the iPad. In his free time, Austin organizes and facilitates Jams for YES! YES! Jams are events that help individual changemakers deepen their root systems, and grow in consciousness and self-care. Austin’s 15+ years of Jamming helps bring an extra layer of joyful connection, support, and grounded communication to the individuals and groups with whom he works and collaborates. Austin is the co-Artistic Director of the Thrive Choir, an Oakland-based group that was born to sing a vision of connection, healing, and justice into being.

In 2020, Austin co-founded Raise Your Voice Labs, a creative culture transformation company that helps groups build brave spaces to have discussions that matter and embody new visions of community through musical co-creation.