Rebecca Barnard

Rebecca Barnard is a Melbourne-based Australian singer, songwriter, producer and musician who has been playing music since 1984. Rebecca has a versatile musical range, delving into rock, and pop, but is mainly a jazz singer.

Rebecca founded the band Rebecca’s Empire 1993 to 2000. Their mainstay members were Rebecca Barnard on lead vocals and her then-domestic partner, Shane O'Mara on lead guitar. The band toured extensively, supported Billy Bragg on his Australian tour, released three EPs and two albums (Way of All Things in 1996, and Welcome in 1999) and appeared on the Triple J Hottest 100 albums three years in a row. Rebecca’s Empire disbanded in 2000 when the duties of being a mother took priority (Barnard gave birth to a son, Harry, in 1996). During this time, Barnard appeared on recordings by Paul Kelly, Tim Rogers, Renée Geyer, Deborah Conway, The Meanies, Warped and The Audreys.

In 2006 Rebecca released her first solo album Fortified to critical acclaim. It was released on Rebecca’s own label Ladybird. In 2009 Rebecca received a grant from Vic Art’s and headed off to New York to record her album Everlasting with Jazz musician Barney McAll, an Australian and very close friend who lived and worked in NY for 15 years as Sia’s MD among many other great artists. The album was well received and one of which she is very proud.

In 2011 Rebecca started writing songs for a new album which proved to be long process whilst trying to make a living! For this album she has collaborated with Michael den Elzen, (who played bass in Rebecca’s Empire for a number of years), to create the album Music for Listening and Relaxation

Rebecca release her first Jazz album in 2023The Night We Called it a Day.  The album is a culmination of years of Rebecca’s life in music – a resplendent arrival in sunny pastures by one of Australia’s cultural treasures. 

Rebecca has played gigs at St Kilda music venues including: The Espy, The Palace, The Venue, Claypots, The George Hotel. 

"I lived in St. Kilda in the late 1980’s to mid 1990’s . It was the place to be for an artist , full of like-minded people and a really groovy scene. A beautiful place to live with the water so close by. I have really fond memories of playing in St Kilda an also seeing other bands perform. The band Diana Kiss played at The Espy every Monday night and they were incredible. Ross Hannaford was on guitar and would just blow me away every time. 

I I performed at The Espy a lot in the Front Bar and The Gershwin Room, mainly with various bands and it was my favourite venue. I established a great rapport with the staff including the bouncers, who were always great. A lot of the reason I love to perform is to interact with the audience. There was never any ticket charge at the Espy so you always had a crowd and it was always really diverse … kind of old St. Kilda and new St.Kilda all together in one band room. There was usually a great response as the type of music being played was upbeat. There was lots of dancing !

Rebecca's Empire, c.1993 - Source: Rebecca Barnard

"I remember sharing a bill one night with Fred Negro’s band (can't remember which one ) . I got there just after they’d finished and the sound guy came up to me and said "I wouldn’t use Fred’s microphone if I were you .. he inserted it somewhere a little unpleasant while on stage“.

OMG it was hysterical. He was /is a true punk and will stop at nothing to entertain. I also witnessed him having fake sex with a frozen chicken on stage there. It was shocking but also hard not to be fascinated by this crazy dude who would stop at nothing. He’s pretty legendary. It was always such a thrill to be in one of his cartoons that he did weekly called 'Pub Strip' which kind of summarised the week that was in St Kilda!"

Rebecca Barnard Bandcamp

The band TRIPLE PEAKS with Rebecca Barnard , Kerri Simpson and Shelley Scown. They had a residency at The Espy on Friday nights. This was the band that played after Fred Negro 'that night' in 1994 - Source: Rebecca Barnard

"During the 1990’s I used to see Ruby Carter, the jazz singer at The Espy on Tuesday nights. She was amazing. Classic Glaswegian attitude. If the audience was talking during a ballad she gave them hell. She was a great singer and always had a superb band. I saw Renee Geyer for the first time there too. She was incredible and we became good friends. I toured with her and sang on a couple of her albums. Extraordinary talent but formidable when she didn’t get her own way!

Josie Jason was another amazing woman who played lead guitar, which in the 1090’s was unusual for a woman. She was such a great musician and beautiful human. I saw the Divinyls at The Palace in the 1990’s and Chrissy totally blew my mind. She was one of the greatest singers ever. All four of these women have left this earth and it still saddens me to this day."

Rebecca Barnard playing at The Gershwin room some time in the 1990’s - Source: Rebecca Barnard