Karen Jacobsen’s voice is instantly recognizable to millions of people worldwide. But she isn’t a famous singer – not yet at least. Jacobsen is the woman behind the soothing voice that gives you directions when you are driving and using your vehicle GPS system. To millions of drivers and GPS users worldwide, she is known as “Australian Karen.” Garmin GPS manufacturer chose Jacobsen over a decade ago because of her calming Australian accent, which now guides people all over the globe.
While she has anonymously been speaking to people for years through global positioning systems, she now hopes to put a face to her famous voice. Jacobsen is now hoping to leverage her soothing familiar voice into a successful music career.
If you like the Garmin GPS Karen Voice, you can find out if it sounds much better in person than it does through a GPS system at her show opening at a Manhattan Cabaret next week. After that she is appearing at a 100-seat theater three times a week in NYC.
According to the NY Daily News, Jacobsen moved to New York City to pursue a career in singing 10 years ago. While the Garmin GPS Voice job was an interesting and lucrative opportuntiy, it still wasn’t the singing stardom she always wanted, although her exposure has definitely given her fans. She still gets emails from drivers she steered in the right direction.
“You helped me find my cousin’s wedding in Kentucky,” one wrote.
“You helped me find my way through the Black Forest in Germany,” read another.
She’s even been thanked for improving the mood in the car.
“Our relationship is so much better. We yell at you and not at each other in the car anymore,” someone told her.
There have even been a few apologies, like the one from the woman who confessed, “I once strangled you.”
For more information, go to NY Daily News.