There are two artists with this name. One is a singer / songwriter based in America, the other was part of Australian hip-hop act Syringe Stick-Up Mama.
Growing up in Los Angeles with two working parents, Gavin Heaney carried a house key with him to let himself in after school. The hours he spent alone were absorbed watching TV, especially classic music videos on MTV. A deep longing to be a rock star ensued and he taught himself to play every instrument he could get his hands on.
As he grew up, Heaney’s key started opening new doors. He played in various bands and opened for many of his favorite artists such as Sublime, Jack Johnson, John Cruz and The Wailers. He became an esteemed songwriter and an accomplished musician and realized that his calling was to become a solo artist. Latch Key Kid was born.
Playing the guitar, bass, piano, drums, mandolin and harmonica on his recordings, Gavin Heaney creates his own signature sound. He composes layers of melodic harmonies that provide landscapes of emotion. His intimate lyrics are warm, inviting and relatable by all ages. His songwriting is comparable to modern day influences like Elliott Smith and Jack Johnson as well as classic songwriters such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Paul Simon.
“Music is the most invoking way to express myself,” says Heaney. “There’s just too much going on between the lines. Shades of emotion and meaning are best expressed through melodies.”
One of Gavin Heaney’s major accomplishments has been his ability to unlock the doors of Hollywood and license his music in Film, Television and Advertising. Most notably, the single “Good Times” was licensed for the trailer, opening credit sequence and soundtrack of the DreamWorks film, I Love You Man (2009), the trailer of the Warner Bros. film The Invention of Lying (2009) and Coca-Cola’s Super Bowl XLII (2008) Jinx commercial, which reached an audience of 97 million. Latch Key Kid songs have also appeared in Pioneer (US), Rogers Wireless (Canada) and Gottschalks Department Stores (US) commercials and on a myriad of TV shows such as The Hills (MTV), Ghost Whisperer, The Amazing Race (CBS), Men In Trees (ABC), Degrassi The Next Generation (CTV), Packed To The Rafters (Seven Network) and Road Trip Nation (PBS).
Latch Key Kid’s success in the licensing world led to a distribution deal with Warner Music Australia to exclusively release the newest album “All Becomes One” in Australia and New Zealand.
The key that has opened so many doors is still carried by Gavin Heaney and is a constant reminder of his life as the Latch Key Kid.
