Sound
Aug 8, 1983
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Jay McCarrol
Sound
Biography
Jay McCarrol is a Canadian musician, writer and actor, most noted as co-creator and co-star with Matt Johnson of Nirvanna the Band the Show. He won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in Comedy at the 14th Canadian Screen Awards in 2026, for his work on the film Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, which also netted him a win in the Best Original Song category for co-writing and performing The Alphabet Song. Outside of Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, he has received recognition at four other CSA ceremonies for his musical work, including his Best Original Score win for BackBerry at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024, as well as nods for Best Original Music for a Program at the 1st Canadian Screen Awards in 2013 for I, Martin Short, Goes Home, at the 4th Canadian Screen Awards in 2016 for The Second City Project, and for Best Original Score at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021 for The Kid Detective. As a writer he has received two CSA nominations for Best Writing in a Comedy Program or Series for Nirvanna the Band the Show, at the 6th Canadian Screen Awards in 2018 and at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019. His other credits have included Johnson's theatrical films The Dirties, Operation Avalanche and BlackBerry. He is a member of the synth-pop band Brave Shores, along with his sister, Stefanie.
Feature Films (10)
When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
The line between reality and fiction starts to blur when two best friends start making a movie about getting revenge on bullies.
The Dirties
A character study of an outdated misfit bachelor struggling to connect with others.
Rudy the Red-Faced Bachelor
Jesus and the 12 apostles deal with the mundane, surprise and treachery of splitting the bill after the last supper.
The Apostles
A young dad sings his daughter to sleep with a tale of animals in the zoo. She doesn't want to nod off and he drifts into a reverie of nostalgia of his own.
A Song for Torah Jane
Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol play live at the Rivoli to wrap up their web series in 2009.
Nirvana the Band the Show: Live @ the Rivoli
Two American soldiers hunting for buried treasure in Iraq meet a stranger in the dunes.
Shubadak
Achieving viral success after being snuck into the Sundance Film Festival, this short film features the powerful story of a young high school boy seeking revenge against the teacher that sexually assaulted him. Inspired by a series of real rapes.
Operation Avalanche
Television & Series (3)
Two lifelong best friends and roommates are planning the greatest musical act in the history of the modern world.
Nirvanna the Band the Show
Musicians Matt and Jay attempt to achieve their dream of playing at a small Toronto venue, the Rivoli, through a series of various schemes and publicity stunts.
Nirvana the Band the Show
Fueled by delusions of grandeur, Matt and Bird disguise themselves as humans and break out of the zoo to chase their dreams, only to learn that it's not so easy being human.