“I’m certainly not one to shy away from the spotlight” Katy Steele laughingly admits early on in our chat about her sophomore solo album “Big Star” (out now). The West Australian based artist who captured our hearts in the early 2000’s as the frontwoman of Little Birdy, has found herself in a really confident space as she collaborates with her husband for the first time on music. This entire body of work leans into a polished synth pop sonic that is inspired by the 80’s and a new-wave glam pop-rock that exudes a nostalgic grit. 

Packed with punchy earworm hooks on songs like “Come And See Me”, ‘LMK”, and lead single “Feel So Bad”, there is a radiating energy that pulsates throughout the entirety of this record. But there are also moments that feel like little nods to her older material like “Right Side Of The Road” and “Fear.

While the record is quite confident, punchy, and anthemic, there are a lot of introspective thoughts behind these songs as she explores growth, human behaviour and the processing of emotions. “Life’s hard sometimes, and we’re just trying to make people feel less alone while still making you wanna dance, and still making you feel like you wanna cry.” she explains of the album’s mission. 

Throughout our chat we unpack the processes and stories behind songs like “LMK” and “Big Star”, discuss the growth she’s had since releasing her debut solo album “Human”, and we look towards her national tour which kicks off next month. Checkout the full chat below; 

THOMAS BLEACH: Your sophomore solo album “Big Star” welcomes this heavy synth and nostalgic 80’s soundscape that feels quite grand and electric. At moments I could imagine myself at an American prom dancing to some of these songs. What was inspiring you to head in this sonical direction compared to previous projects?

KATY STEELE: It was just really natural. I was initially just gonna get into a studio and do some songs with a choir, which is something I’ve always had this vision of doing, but it always just turns into something else. But it was the first time that me and my husband Graham started working together on music, and we just completely collaborated on everything from the songwriting to the production, which was more him with me harping in the background. But it was a real collaborative effort. 

I’ve always written melancholic kind of songs with dark melodies, but then I love pop as well. So I think it’s like a really good mash. It’s a pop record, but I feel like it’s still got so many tones to it, and we just kind of let the most melodic ones rise to the top.

TB: I definitely feel like it’s almost a glam pop record because it is pop, but there’s also that kind of edginess of glam in there as well.

KS: Yeah. Well, I think that just comes from our personalities. Like, I’m certainly not one to shy away from the spotlight *laughs*.

TB: There is also a very reflective element to the lyrics on this record that feel like a closing of a chapter for you. What does this record represent to you?

KS: I’ve felt a weight just lift off my shoulders since it’s been finished because it’s been an absolute labour of love. We’ve worked on this record every single day and night. Because sometimes night’s are the only time you get to work when you have kids. So yeah, we’ve worked on this daily for two years, and it’s been a real journey for the both of us. I hate that word journey, but it has. It’s been a lot of experimentation, a lot of hard work, a lot of errors, a lot of just trying things, and getting to where we’ve got… I’m just so proud of us getting to that line.

Lyrically, I think it’s a lot about growth, human behaviour, and about emotions that we all feel. I feel like everyone’s going through a hard time at the moment, and everyone is struggling. Life’s hard sometimes, and we’re just trying to make people feel less alone while still making you wanna dance, and still making you feel like you wanna cry *laughs*. 

TB: “LMK” impresses with its slinky 80’s synth inspired production, and this irresistible bridge that hears you singing “Oh can’t you tell, I lost my feeling”. Can you explain the creative process behind this track? 

KS: That’s one of the last ones we finished. So it’s gone through a few kinds of changes and elements. We’ve actually got a couple of backing singers featuring on there, which gives it another kind of element. It kind of started just with the verse, and then we added that pre chorus recently. If you strip it back on the piano, it’s like a super classic melody, but we tried to modernise it with the instrumentation. 

It’s about not knowing if you and somebody are on the same kind of path, and if your paths are adjoining, and then you can’t kind of let go of the other person. I think a lot of the songs are just about communication

TB: Title track “Big Star ” is a big moment on this record. The chorus hears you proclaiming; “I won’t give up. You know that’s what they want”. What inspired the lyrics behind this record, and why did it feel like it perfectly represented this record as a whole for you? 

KS: With that song I’m touching on being a woman in the music industry, and how you have to never give up, and you just have to keep going no matter how old you are. Cause I feel like there is a lot of ageism in the music industry. But I honestly feel like it also doesn’t matter anymore, and it’s not gonna bother me as I’m not going anywhere. I’m still here. 

When I listen to that song I always feel like it’s about somebody that’s lost somebody, and it’s about finding your own strength and worth within yourself to just keep going. It’s just kind of like finding that endurance and that growth to just keep moving forward in life.

TB: “Come And See Me” was written for a travel advertising campaign that never eventuated. So what destinations, scenery or visuals do you personally see when you close your eyes and hear this song? 

KS: When I listen to that song I kind of always see Broome from an aerial perspective. So yeah, I’ll wait for that call about that travel campaign to finally come back *laughs*. 

TB: Looking back on your debut album “Human” you’ve said that it was a very pivotal period in your music. What do you think it was about that time in your life that felt so transformative and felt so creative?

KS: I think because I’d been in America for at least five years, and I’d created three albums worth of music over there that no one’s heard yet, releasing “Human” felt  pivotal because I finally released something. And this record feels a bit the same as good art takes time and, I’ve never put anything out that I’m not proud of. I’m proud to be an artist that takes my time. I hope to be a lot more prolific from this point because me and Graham have such a strong working relationship. We were already talking at Ikea this morning about the next songs we’re gonna be working on for an EP we’re hoping to get out at the end of this year. So yeah, we just wanna be really productive from now on and this feels like the start of a really exciting chapter for me.

TB: Did any of your relationships with the songs on “Human” change and evolve from performing live and seeing fans’ reactions and relationships with the songs? 

KS: To be honest, I haven’t played a bunch of “Human” live properly. I’ve played songs like “No Slave”, “Where’s The Laughter” and “Diamonds”, and I guess they change. That record is actually kind of hard to replicate live because there’s so much percussion on there. 

TB: You’re heading out on this road this July and August to tour “Big Star” live. The run of dates is quite mammoth, so how have you prepared to be this busy on the road again after quite a long gap between touring, COVID, and becoming a mother?

KS: The way that we’ve made it manageable is that it’s mainly just weekends. So, I’ll be a mum during the week, and on the weekend I go to work. It’s been a while between tours, but I’m really excited, and hopefully the shows are really successful, which I think they will be. And it’ll just be great to play these songs live with a full band, who are sounding really good. 

TB: When you’re building the setlist for this live show, how are you juggling the energy differences between songs on “Big Star” and “Human”, and even old Little birdy tracks if you plan to surprise fans with any of them?

KS: I’m gonna play probably about five Little Birdy ones, and then I guess I’m just finding the songs that fit into the set sonically. All the new ones are sounding really good. We did a one off show in Perth recently which was great to test out some of the new songs, but we still haven’t played “LMK” live yet, so that will be a fun one to bring into the set. 

“Big Star” is out now!

Katy Steele Australian Tour

Friday 7 July – Mary’s Underground, Sydney NSW

Saturday 8 July – Heritage Hotel, Wollongong NSW

Sunday 9 July – Lizottes, Newcastle NSW *

Friday 14 July – BBQ & Beer Festival, Adelaide SA

Thursday 27 July – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane QLD

Friday 28 July – Tank Arts Centre, Cairns QLD

Wednesday 2 August – Ararat Town Hall, Ararat VIC *

Thursday 3 August – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave VIC

Friday 4 August – The Workers Club, Melbourne VIC

Saturday 5 August – The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine VIC

Saturday 12 August – MOJO’S Bar, North Fremantle WA

Thursday 24 August – The River, Margaret River WA

Friday 25 August – Six Degrees, Albany WA

* solo show

Tickets available HERE