about ara jansen
When Ara Jansen figured out an aversion to numbers meant she was never going to be a rocket scientist, she turned to her other loves, words and music.
Ara got her first byline in The West Australian Newspaper before she was old enough to vote. She started her newspaper career as a news reporter at the Daily News in Western Australia, was named Cadet of the Year in her debut year and after the newspaper’s closure in 1990, went to work for The Sunday Times (also in WA).
She moved across town a couple of years later to become a full-time rock music journalist and eventually Music Editor for The West Australian newspaper. She is now one of Australia’s most well-respected music writers and commentators with a wealth of knowledge across many genres. She has had tea and cookies with Jon Bon Jovi, asked Cliff Richard what he’d like on his headstone, interviewed Metallica, has been drunkenly serenaded by Chris Isaak, hung out backstage with Ricky Martin and saw Keith Urban play a Sydney fun park before anyone knew him. Personalities aside, she believes music can change your life.
After retiring from the editor’s chair and a few years of magazine writing for The West, Ara moved to Mexico, a place very close to her heart. Armed with stories, life-long friendships, better Spanish and cultural misadventures, she returned to Perth in 2005 to start her freelance business.
A versatile freelance writer Ara continues to contribute feature stories to newspapers and magazines – including stories and reviews about musicians – as well as writing for corporate clients. She has edited Perth Vita magazine, worked on the media team at the Perth Royal Show, tutored at Curtin University and edited a book.
Born in Hong Kong to Australian ex-pat parents and having lived in four countries, Ara loves to travel and write about her adventures and as a third culture kid, is always exploring the notion of home. She’s an avid journal writer and her diary is always close by. Ara’s biggest fear is running out of good books on the road and her favourite bookstores are Amate (Oaxaca, Mexico), Pilgrims Book House (Kathmandu, Nepal), Oxford Books (Perth) and Lane Bookshop (Perth).
And after years of people asking, Ara is finally working on her first book project.