Katy Steele
Encyclopedia
Katy Steele is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of four piece rock band Little Birdy
.
, Western Australia
on 9 September 1983, and has a fraternal twin brother, Jake. She and her brother are the youngest in the family. Her father, Rick Steele, is an 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. Her other older brother Luke
, is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of alternative rock band The Sleepy Jackson
and also a member of the psychedelic pop duo, Empire of the Sun
. Jake performs on keyboards with his own band, Injured Ninja.
Steele grew up in the southern suburb of Jandakot in Perth and went to Mount Lawley Senior High School
. She first started playing in Perth electro-pop band, The Plastik Scene, in 2001.
. Leach is a friend of Katy's brother, Luke Steele
, and it was at Luke's 21st birthday party that he first heard Katy's distinctive vocals.
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).
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 Australia
n and New Zealand
musicians. The song reached number 96 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2005
Steele was once dating Justin Burford of End Of Fashion. The two were engaged, until in late 2006 when the engagement was broken off.
In 2007, Steele won best female performer in the Australian live music awards. Katy has attracted comparisons to Kate Bush
and PJ Harvey
.
Also in 2007 Steele was invited by Paul Kelly
to open for him on his 2007 'Stolen Apples' tour. Faced with a long run of solo shows, Steele set about writing new material. 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. In early 2010 Steele announced on Triple J
radio that she would be moving to New York and the band announced that they would be taking some time out to pursue other individual ventures.
in March 2010 for a change of scenery, and to start work on her new solo project.
In May 2010, Steele returned home for a whirlwind sold-out tour to the major capital cities. 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.
July 2010 found Steele 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.
Steele collaborated with her brother, Luke on 'Good Things' as part of a Maurice Frawley
tribute album.
Little Birdy
Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...
.
Biography
Katy Steele was born Kate Elizabeth Steele in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
on 9 September 1983, and has a fraternal twin brother, Jake. She and her brother are the youngest in the family. Her father, Rick Steele, is an 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. Her other older brother Luke
Luke Steele (singer)
Luke James Steele , is the vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band The Sleepy Jackson...
, is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of alternative rock band The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy Jackson are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia. The band's name was inspired by a former drummer who was narcoleptic. The band revolves around the distinctive vocal style of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Luke Steele...
and also a member of the psychedelic pop duo, Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun (band)
Empire of the Sun is an Australian electronic music duo that formed in 2008. The duo is composed of Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson and Nick Littlemore of Pnau. The two met in 2000 after both being signed to the same record label. Luke and Nick knew that they instantly had a chemistry like no other...
. Jake performs on keyboards with his own band, Injured Ninja.
Steele grew up in the southern suburb of Jandakot in Perth and went to Mount Lawley Senior High School
Mount Lawley Senior High School
Mount Lawley Senior High School is a state high school in the Perth suburb of Mount Lawley, Western Australia.- Notable alumni :* Holly Deane-Johns* Marcus Graham* David Helfgott* Tammy MacIntosh* Nikita Rukavytsya* James Smillie* Graeme Snooks...
. She first started playing in Perth electro-pop band, The Plastik Scene, in 2001.
Little Birdy (2002-present)
In 2002 Steele left the band and joined Simon Leach forming Little BirdyLittle Birdy
Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...
. Leach is a friend of Katy's brother, Luke Steele
Luke Steele (singer)
Luke James Steele , is the vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band The Sleepy Jackson...
, and it was at Luke's 21st birthday party that he first heard Katy's distinctive vocals.
"Katy was always there," Leach says of his friendship with the other Steele. "She was around 15 when I saw her sing. Three years later, Katy and I were playing together."
Steele won the inaugural Jessica Michalik
Jessica Michalik
Jessica Anna Michalik was an Australian teenage girl from Dee Why, Sydney who died as a result of asphyxiation five days after being crushed in a mosh pit during the 2001 Big Day Out music festival during a performance by nu metal band Limp Bizkit.-Incident:The Coroner's Court of New South Wales...
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
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
(APRA).
At the 2005 West Australian Music Industry Awards
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
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
She Will Have Her Way
She Will Have Her Way is a compilation album featuring female Australian and New Zealand musicians performing songs written by Neil Finn and Tim Finn , members of Split Enz and Crowded House...
, a collection of Neil
Neil Finn
Neil Mullane Finn, OBE is a New Zealand Pop recording artist. Along with his brother Tim Finn, he was the co-frontman for Split Enz and is now frontman for Crowded House...
and Tim Finn
Tim Finn
Brian Timothy "Tim" Finn, OBE is a New Zealand singer and musician. Finn is most known for his music with New Zealand 1970s and 1980s rock group Split Enz, and later for his solo work, a temporary membership in his brother Neil's band Crowded House and his joint efforts with Neil Finn as the Finn...
songs performed by female Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
musicians. The song reached number 96 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2005
Triple J Hottest 100, 2005
The 2005 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on 26 January 2006. It was the thirteenth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J....
Steele was once dating Justin Burford of End Of Fashion. The two were engaged, until in late 2006 when the engagement was broken off.
In 2007, Steele won best female performer in the Australian live music awards. Katy has attracted comparisons to Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
and PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey
Polly Jean Harvey is an English musician, singer-songwriter, composer and occasional artist. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments including piano, organ, bass, saxophone, and most recently, the autoharp.Harvey began her career in...
.
Also in 2007 Steele was invited by Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (musician)
Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...
to open for him on his 2007 'Stolen Apples' tour. Faced with a long run of solo shows, Steele set about writing new material. The material was then adapted and forms the basis of Little Birdy's new album, Confetti
Confetti (Little Birdy album)
Confetti is the third studio album by Australian indie rock band Little Birdy, released on 8 May 2009. It debuted at number 6 on the ARIA album charts.-Background:...
.
In 2008 Steele relocated to Brunswick
Brunswick, Victoria
Brunswick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
, with the other band members also moving to Melbourne. In early 2010 Steele announced on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
radio that she would be moving to New York and the band announced that they would be taking some time out to pursue other individual ventures.
Solo Career (2010-present)
Steele moved to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
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."
In May 2010, Steele returned home for a whirlwind sold-out tour to the major capital cities. 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.
July 2010 found Steele back in Australia supporting Richard Ashcroft
Richard Ashcroft
Richard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional guitarist of alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their split in 1999, and continues as a lead vocalist working with guitars and keyboards...
(The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
) 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.
Steele collaborated with her brother, Luke on 'Good Things' as part of a Maurice Frawley
Maurice Frawley
Maurice Gerard Frawley was an Australian rock and country blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Biography:Maurice Gerard Frawley was born on 5 May 1954, the son of Gerard Patrick and Eileen Marie Frawley, he grew up with three siblings, Brendan, Mary and Leo on the family farm near Elmore in...
tribute album.
Little Birdy
- Little Birdy EPLittle Birdy (EP)Little Birdy is the debut EP by Australian indie rock band Little Birdy. The EP was co-produced by Little Birdy with Andy Lawson, Joel Quartermain, and Rodney Aravena from Perth's Debaser Studios...
- Eleven/EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
(6 October 2003) #27 Australia - This Is a Love Song EPThis Is a Love Song EPThis Is a Love Song EP is the second EP by Australian indie rock band Little Birdy, and the follow-up to the highly successful Little Birdy EP. It was released on 1 March 2004 and debuted at number 22 on the ARIA Singles Chart on 8 March 2004.. "This Is a Love Song" ranked number 40 on Triple J's...
- Eleven/EMI (1 March 2004) #22 Australia - BigBigLoveBigBigLoveBigBigLove is the debut studio album by Australian indie rock band Little Birdy, released in Australia on 4 October 2004. It reached number 5 in the ARIA music charts and was certified gold less than a month after its release...
- VirginVirgin RecordsVirgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
/EMI (4 October 2004) #5 Australia - Hollywood - Eleven/EMI (13 October 2006) #9 Australia
- ConfettiConfetti (Little Birdy album)Confetti is the third studio album by Australian indie rock band Little Birdy, released on 8 May 2009. It debuted at number 6 on the ARIA album charts.-Background:...
- Eleven/Universal (8 May 2009)
Compliation appearances
- "Good Things" (with Luke Steele) - Long Gone Whistle: The Songs of Maurice FrawleyMaurice FrawleyMaurice Gerard Frawley was an Australian rock and country blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Biography:Maurice Gerard Frawley was born on 5 May 1954, the son of Gerard Patrick and Eileen Marie Frawley, he grew up with three siblings, Brendan, Mary and Leo on the family farm near Elmore in...
- Liberation MusicLiberation MusicLiberation Music is a boutique, independent Australasian record company, started in 1999 by Michael Gudinski and Warren Costello. Its stated aim is to find, nurture and then to develop new talent for a world market while remaining independent in the process...
(13 August 2010) - "Send Me Back My Dad" - The Spirit of Christmas 2010The Spirit of Christmas 2010The Spirit of Christmas 2010 is part of the Spirit of Christmas album series.-Track listing:#"Joy to the World" - Christine Anu featuring Casey Donovan & Hollie Andrew#"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Troy Cassar Daley...
- Sony (Christmas 2010) - "Newborn" - When I First Met Your Ma - Universal Music Australia (22 April 2011)