Keenan O’meara (Artist)
Born in Maryland and now living and recording on his mountain-side farm overlooking the Catskill region of New York State, Keenan O’Meara is a singular voice in modern music — a songwriter whose work feels suspended between worlds: myth and memory, grief and grace, the natural world and the spectral one. A self-described “unmotivated naturalist, writing songs instead,” Keenan has carved out a quietly powerful space in the contemporary folk and indie landscape, where emotional storytelling meets sonic experimentation.
His latest single, “Please Leave the Light On,” marks a stirring return. Written and recorded meticulously, the track plays like a sonic séance, part death ritual, part childhood memory. It’s haunted, yes, but presented as a thing of beauty. Built around Keenan’s intimate, breath-close vocal and fingerpicked guitar, the song expands into something otherworldly, with ghostly vocal textures from Meg Lui and Hannah Cohen. The result is a dreamlike folk collage, sparse yet cinematic, aching yet oddly comforting.
Keenan’s work consistently evokes a kind of quiet epicness with a wide emotional lens trained on life’s most intimate moments. His earlier release If I Could Leave (2020), introduced a distinct sonic identity that fuses old-soul songwriting with a modern sense of atmosphere.
That quiet intensity hasn’t gone unnoticed. Keenan’s songwriting caught the ear of country americana star Zach Bryan, who became an early champion. Zach was so moved by Keenan’s lo-fi pandemic project If I Could Leave that he offered to press it to vinyl himself. Zach has now tapped O’Meara to open for him at America’s largest ticketed event ever in front of 112,000 people at Michigan Stadium in September 2025. He’s also opened for Zach at Lincoln Financial Field and has since toured Europe and the UK with Grammy-nominated trio I’m With Her and North American tours with rising songwriters Michael Marcagi and Vincent Lima, placing him in an exhilarating generation of genre-blurring artists who prioritize storytelling over spectacle.
Beyond the stage, Keenan is also a frequent musical and visual collaborator. His ability to weave his voice into a larger sonic tapestry has made him a go-to presence in recording circles, whether through backing vocals, production insight, or ambient sound design. He’s also directed, produced and filmed music videos for his community. He’s part of a quiet vanguard of artists redefining what it means to be a folk musician in the 21st century. Not just a singer with a guitar, but a sonic architect, shaping whole emotional worlds from simple tools.
In an era where authenticity often feels performative, Keenan’s songs arrive like dispatches from some weathered cabin at the edge of the world — unfiltered, unpolished in the best ways, and unafraid to dwell in silence, longing, and ambiguity. His lyrics carry the weight of someone who listens more than he speaks, who notices the way light hits the side of a house just before dusk, or how a voice echoes in an empty room.
For listeners willing to slow down and lean in, his music offers rare rewards: depth, nuance, emotional resonance and above all, a sense of being seen.
Website : https://www.keenanomeara.com/
IG: @keenanomeara
FB: https://www.facebook.com/keenanomearamusic/
