Following on from the announce of her forthcoming second studio album Big Star out Friday June 9, Katy Steele has today unveiled the title track; the song touches on embracing the highs and lows of life and urges the listener to do the same. Katy soulfully sings about resilience and finding inner strength. ‘Big Star’’s blend of empowering lyrics and captivating melodies ignites a sense of inspiration, resonating with those who dare to dream big and carve their own path.
KATY STEELE ‘BIG STAR’ NATIONAL TOUR
FRI JULY 7 | MARY’S UNDERGROUND, SYDNEY NSW
SAT JULY 8 | HERITAGE HOTEL, WOLLONGONG NSW
SUN JULY 9 | LIZOTTE’S, NEWCASTLE NSW * UPDATED SOLO SHOW
FRI JULY 14 | BBQ & BEER FESTIVAL, ADELAIDE SA
SAT JULY 15 | ALTAR, HOBART TAS
THU JULY 27 | BLACK BEAR LODGE, BRISBANE QLD
FRI JULY 28 | TANKS ARTS CENTRE, CAIRNS QLD
WED AUG 2 | ARARAT TOWN HALL, ARARAT VIC
THU AUG 3 | SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE VIC
FRI AUG 4 | THE WORKERS CLUB, MELBOURNE VIC
SAT AUG 5 | THE BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE VIC
SAT AUG 12 | MOJO’S BAR, NORTH FREMANTLE WA
THU AUG 24 | THE RIVER, MARGARET RIVER WA
FRI AUG 25 | SIX DEGREES, ALBANY WA
Commenting on the single, Katy says, “‘Big Star’, the title track of the album, holds a special place as the centrepiece of the album. It’s an empowering song. We tried to capture the essence of resilience and unwavering determination. I feel it touches on my constant perseverance as an artist. ‘Baby – you and me – will sing on..’”
The Perth artist has paired the single with a captivating clip, featuring Katy as a lone performer in a lit up amphitheatre “I won’t give up, you know that’s what they want”
Katy reflects, ‘We made this video one really humid summer night in an open air venue in Perth. It was just Mitch (cinematographer) Graham and myself. We didn’t know what we were going to capture that night, it was a very spontaneous shoot. We did have the loose concept of linking it in with the ‘Feel So Bad’ video. The vision of this singer, playing an empty venue with stars in their eyes. The constant self belief and assurance that you find within you to keep creating and keep striving. Finding your own ‘Big Star ‘”
The much-anticipated forthcoming album Big Star was an enormous DIY effort, two years in the making; lovingly co-created by Katy Steele and her partner Graham Mcluskie from their home studio. With a few special guests, including backing singers and band mates (Sam Maher, Ben McDonald) and Josiah Padmanabam, helping out throughout the process, the entirety of the production duties were in Graham’s capable hands.
“The world has changed in so many ways since the day I committed myself to this body of work. The bones of this album started to grow in 2018 when I was spending some time in Scotland, my partner Grammy’s homeland. That’s when the first notions of writing another album came to mind. We were then toying with the idea of recording the bulk ourselves at home in sunny WA. When things were just starting to cook, COVID hit and everything was delayed by at least two years. The industry, as we knew it, was a totally different landscape. But now we’re finally at the finish line – ready to show the world what we’ve been working on.”
With a talent for solid songwriting, the album showcases Katy as a creative chameleon, highlighted on recent singles ‘Come And See Me’, ‘End Is Near’ and ‘Feel So Bad’. Quintessential Steele… upbeat, energetic, pop nostalgia.
Katy’s vocal range, songwriting, and sartorial splendour have attracted favourable comparisons to PJ Harvey and Chrissie Hynde. If there’s one thing that you remember about Katy Steele it’s that voice. Undeniable, ethereal, dramatic and melodic. She’s a one and only.
Katy Steele is set to hit the road this July for a massive national tour in support of the album, presented by Double J. This will be the first time fans get to witness the album in its entirety along with a few crowd-favourites.
“We took our time to make every piece of this record sound great. All of the elements that you will experience were lovingly and frustratingly harboured and chiselled over which took hours and hours of care. The whole record was created in our home studio, by me and Graham. The world we live in is forever changing and hopefully this album will find it’s place in that new world.”