Karen Jacobsen
Speaker, Concert Artist and Songwriter
When Karen Jacobsen walks on stage you know she belongs there. Her presence charms you right away, and then you hear her voice. Karen is a polished MC, speaker and performer. With supreme versatility she can deliver an informative and engaging speech, facilitate an awards event or conference and then entertain your audience alone at the grand piano, capella or accompanied by a full band.
Quick Contact
Karen Jacobsen is an international keynote speaker, concert artist and songwriter whose voice has achieved rare global recognition. Best known as the original Australian voice of Siri, Karen is heard in over a billion GPS and smartphone devices worldwide — quite literally guiding people where to go every day.
From a single voice-over booking, Karen created her empowerment brand The GPS Girl®, helping individuals and organisations navigate change with confidence and clarity. Her signature keynote, The 5 Directions for Recalculating, is delivered as both an opening and closing keynote and is renowned for its engaging blend of storytelling, music and practical insight. The experience is entertaining, emotionally resonant and highly impactful.
Karen is a compelling live performer who connects with audiences across the globe — in person, virtually and through major media appearances. She is also the author of two books and a trusted voice on resilience, reinvention and leadership through uncertainty.
Her music career spans more than two decades. Karen’s cinematic, piano-driven songs have been licensed to US network television including Dawson’s Creek and Passions. She has released more than a dozen albums, and was described as “hypnotic” by Harry Connick Jr on his national US talk show. Performance highlights include sharing the stage with Norah Jones, Neil Sedaka, Christopher Cross, Jon English and Cyndi Lauper, as well as performing national anthems at iconic venues including Madison Square Garden, Fenway Park, Dodger Stadium, Giants Stadium and Suncorp Stadium.
In 2023, Karen premiered her acclaimed pop-orchestral work Misogyny Opus with musicians from the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. The one-hour composition sets former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s iconic misogyny speech to music, word for word. Created to spark conversation and amplify voices, the work reflects Karen’s long-standing advocacy for equality and meaningful dialogue.
Karen’s personal journey underpins her professional message. Having overcome chronic anxiety, financial collapse and significant life disruption, she is living proof that it is never too late to recalculate. After 20 years in New York City, Karen and her family unexpectedly relocated to the Whitsundays during the pandemic — remotely packing and moving their home while international borders were closed.
Karen Jacobsen brings authenticity, authority and inspiration to every stage — and a rare ability to guide audiences through change, using both voice and vision.
