When Jacynta’lee is not hard at work at Goonyella Riverside mine she is passionately pursuing a country music career. Despite the demanding nature of her job she has established herself as a rising star, captivating audiences with her heartfelt storytelling and unique musical style.

Jacynta’s said her ability to juggle both her mining and music careers is made possible by the support and flexibility she receives from her colleagues at Goonyella.

“I work with a bunch of extremely incredible people who allow me flexibility with my work,” she explained. “They’re really great with it. I’m usually there Monday to Thursday and on Fridays I travel anywhere between 200 to 1000km to perform at shows or gigs.”

Jacynta’s passion for music ignited at an early age when she joined her mother’s vocal lessons. Her talent blossomed and she entered her first talent quest at the age of six. From there her love for music grew, leading her to explore opportunities in the industry.

Jacynta was also busy building her career in mining, starting at Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory before securing her position at Goonyella Riverside mine in 2019, where she currently serves as an Execution Supervisor for the engineering department.

In recent years Jacynta’s country music career has gained momentum with the release of several singles and music videos. Her unique style characterised by feel-good storytelling has resonated with listeners. Her debut single “Dream” embodies her personal journey of pursuing dreams while balancing work and personal life. Her most recent single explores deeper emotions, drawing inspiration from the closure of relationships.

In her pursuit of musical excellence Jacynta travelled to Nashville recently to attend the renowned CMA Fest, the largest country music festival in the world. There, she networked and collaborated with fellow artists finding inspiration and opportunities in the heart of country music.

“Getting our music out over in the States is just one of the best things you can do as an Australian country music artist. I was extremely lucky while we were over there, I was asked to get up and play on the Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge stage which is a world-famous bar on Nashville’s Broadway. It was surreal, absolutely amazing! You never know when an opportunity is going to pop up when you’re in in the capital of country music,” said Jacynta.

Looking ahead Jacynta plans to focus on writing new songs and honing her craft. She said that song writing is a process of trial and error and she’s always trying to discover the perfect song that resonates with an audience.

“I need to write and write until I find the songs that fit to make it onto the radio. Sometimes you could have a book full of fifty to one hundred songs and the public will only see maybe ten of them. It’s a lot of trial and error, but that is what my goal and my focus will be on, aside from my live shows, for the second half of 2023, my song writing.”

As Jacynta’lee continues to excel in both the mining and country music industries she serves as an inspiration to others who aspire to pursue their passions. Her ability to balance demanding work commitments with her creative pursuits demonstrates the possibility of finding fulfillment in multiple areas of life. With her heartfelt storytelling and unique musical style, Jacynta’lee is undoubtedly an emerging talent to watch in the country music scene.