Katy Steele
Steele in 2017
Steele in 2017
Background information
Birth nameKate Elizabeth Steele
Born (1983-09-09) 9 September 1983[1]
Perth, Western Australia
GenresRock, pop
Occupation(s)Musician, guitarist, singer, songwriter, keyboard
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active2001–present

Kate Elizabeth Steele (born 9 September 1983) is an Australian singer, guitarist and songwriter of the four-piece rock band, Little Birdy.

Biography

Early life

Steele was born Kate Elizabeth Steele in Perth, Western Australia,[2] and has a fraternal twin brother, Jake. She and her brother are the youngest in the family. Her father, Rick Steele, is a New Zealand-born accomplished blues musician who still performs today, together with Katy's oldest brother Jesse on drums, in his band, Rick Steele & The Hot Biscuit Band.[3] Her other older brother Luke, is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of alternative rock band The Sleepy Jackson and also a member of the electronic music duo, Empire of the Sun. Jake performs on keyboards with his own band, Injured Ninja.[4]

Steele grew up in the southern suburb of Jandakot and went to Mount Lawley Senior High School.[5] She first started playing in Perth electro-pop band, The Plastik Scene, in 2001.[6]

Little Birdy (2002–2009)

In 2002, Steele left the band and joined Simon Leach forming Little Birdy. Steele won the inaugural Jessica Michalik Contemporary Music Award, presented by The Big Day Out on 8 March 2004. In 2004, she was also awarded the Contemporary Music Prize by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).[7] At the 2005 West Australian Music Industry Awards Steele won the WAMi for 'Best Female Vocalist'. She also recorded a version of the classic, "Six Months In a Leaky Boat", on the compilation album, She Will Have Her Way, a collection of Neil and Tim Finn songs performed by female Australian and New Zealand musicians. The song reached number 96 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2005

In 2007, Steele won best female performer in the Australian live music awards.[8] Katy has attracted comparisons to Kate Bush and PJ Harvey .[9]

Also in 2007, Steele was invited by Paul Kelly to open for him on his 2007 'Stolen Apples' tour.[10] Faced with a long run of solo shows, Steele set about writing new material.

In Perth I had a room which was really cool. It was a music room dedicated to writing. When I was asked to support Paul Kelly, I wrote "Confetti", "Into My Arms", "Stay Wild" and maybe six or seven other songs. I was so nervous about the Paul Kelly tour because they were theatre shows and I’d never played on my own before. So I wrote a whole bunch of songs that would hopefully sound good with just what I had — vocals and guitar.

— Katy Steele[10]

The material was then adapted and forms the basis of Little Birdy's new album, Confetti.

In 2008, Steele relocated to Brunswick, with the other band members also moving to Melbourne.[11] In early 2010 Steele announced on Triple J radio that she would be moving to New York[12] and the band announced that they would be taking some time out to pursue other individual ventures.[13]

Solo career (2010–present)

Steele in 2017

Steele moved to New York City in March 2010 for a change of scenery, and to start work on her new solo project.

"I’ve always loved the idea of NYC. The largeness, the intensity, the struggle. A lot of my idols have either come from New York or moved there at some point, so it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. There has never really been a chance in my life before now to have a break, or to pursue other directions."[14]

In May 2010, Steele returned home for a whirlwind sold-out tour to the major capital cities.[15] She showcased her new material, along with some old classics, and stirred the audience with insights into her new life, and love, in New York.

In July 2010, Steele was back in Australia supporting Richard Ashcroft (The Verve) on the Australian leg of his tour, and upon her return to New York, she announced her appointment as the Music Ambassador for the Williamsburg International Film Festival (Willifest 2010), for which a video for her song "Sorrow" was recorded.[16]

Steele collaborated with her brother, Luke on "Good Things" as part of a Maurice Frawley tribute album.[17]

In late November 2011, Steele featured in a new release singing harmonies with Josh Pyke on the song, "Punch in the Heart". The video for the song sees both singers in a split-screen view performing twin one-take recordings singing to the camera.[18][19]

On 13 March 2013, Steele's first single, "Fire Me Up" premiered on the Triple J radio program Home & Hosed.[20] "Fire Me Up" was also available through Bandcamp, where the track could be downloaded for free.[21]

Steele released her debut studio album, Human, on 21 October 2016.[22] The album reached No. 23 on the Australian album charts and Steele undertook a thirteen-date national tour in February to March 2017 in support of the album's release.[23]

On 29 September 2022, Steele released her first single since 2013, titled "Feel So Bad".[24]

On 31 March 2023, Steele released "Come and See Me" from her forthcoming album, Big Star.[25]

Personal life

In December 2017 Steele married Scottish musician, Graham McLuskie, and in April 2018 she had a daughter, Iona.[26][27]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[28]
Human
  • Released: 21 October 2016
  • Label: Create/Control (CC0001296)
  • Format: CD, digital download
 23
Big Star
  • Scheduled: June 2023
  • Label:
  • Format: CD, digital download
 TBA

Awards and nominations

West Australian Music Industry Awards

The West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMIs) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on annually by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM). Katy Steele won three awards.[29]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
2003 Katy Steele Most Popular Local Original Female Vocalist Won
2005 Katy Steele Best Female Vocalist Won
2006 Katy Steele Best Female Vocalist Won

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Katy Steele.
  1. ↑ "On This Day". The Age. Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited. 9 September 2011. p. 20. ISSN 0312-6307.
  2. ↑ Ferguson, Samantha (13 December 2022). "Katy Steele performs as part of Spotlight Series". Mandurah Mail. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  3. ↑ Czerniak, Maria. "Rick Steele". Groove Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 July 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  4. ↑ Purvis, Ray (23 February 2008). "Turning Steele wheels". West Australian. Archived from the original on 12 April 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  5. ↑ "School room is pure Steele". The Perth Voice. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  6. ↑ "The Plastik Scene". FasterLouder.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  7. ↑ Zuel, Bernard (9 March 2004). "These are no hair today, gone tomorrow winners". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  8. ↑ Gadd, Michael (16 May 2007). "Wolfmother knows Jack". News.com.au. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  9. ↑ "Australian bands at SXSW 2005". Australian Music Collective. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  10. 1 2 "LITTLE BIRDY – The Summary Outfit". Reverb Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  11. ↑ Donovan, Patrick (22 May 2009). "Fully fledged Birdy". The Age. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  12. ↑ "The Doctor : Wednesday 27 January | media | triple j". Abc.net.au. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  13. ↑ "Little Birdy". Little Birdy. 8 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 September 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  14. ↑ "Another Birdy: Katy Steele". Side Street, Sydney. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  15. ↑ Crittenden, Jasmine (25 March 2013). "Katy Steele". Concrete Playground. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  16. ↑ Pepper, Daile (8 July 2010). "Katy Steele joins Richard Ashcroft". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  17. ↑ "Artists – Liberation Music". Liberation.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  18. ↑ "Josh Pyke Feat. Katy Steele – Punch In The Heart". MusicFeeds. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  19. ↑ "Josh Pyke Feat. Katy Steele – Punch In The Heart". AusPop.com.au. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  20. ↑ "Home & Hosed Playlists". Triple J. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  21. ↑ "Katy Steele". Bandcamp. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  22. ↑ McCabe, Kathy (20 October 2016). "Former Little Birdy singer Katy Steele scrapped two recorded albums in four years in New York". News.com.au. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  23. ↑ "Katy Steele Human tour". Female.com.au. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  24. ↑ "Katy Steele makes Powerhouse Return with 'Feel So Bad'". Good Call Live. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  25. ↑ "New Music Discoveries 31st March: Sahara Beck, Georgia Fields, Katy Steele and more". The AU Review. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  26. ↑ Hanna, Jay (16 July 2019). "Soul Survivor". The West Australian. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  27. ↑ MacNaughton, Tanya (27 November 2020). "Katy Steele's soul search comes full circle in new album Soul Bride". PerthNow. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  28. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  29. ↑ 2005 West Australian Music Industry Award Winners Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
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