Shayna Steele :: Living music, with all her heart
In 2009, Shayna Steele kicked off her US tour in support of her full-length debut CD, I’ll Be Anything. After three successful album release shows in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, Shayna Steele returns to San Francisco to stage at Coda Jazz Club on April 30th, 2010 for a great night of music.
The singer/songwriter has acquired many labels over her career from "Broadway crooner" to "disco screamer," "Chaka Khaner" to "R&B belter," and "jazz chanteuse" to" electro diva." While each label denotes a unique facet of Shayna’s style, her talent defies categorization. Artists like Moby have collaborated with her in top selling singles. She sang on the smash hit, "Disco Lies" off Moby’s 2008 release Last Night, where the song rocketed to #1 on the US Billboard Dance charts and was later featured in J.J. Abram’s blockbuster Cloverfield. Now Shayna’s voice is in high demand with recent features on the Grammy-nominated album Great Joy and the soundtracks of Legally Blonde 2, Bambi 2, and the remake of Hairspray starring John Travolta.
Shayna dove headfirst into music at an early age, winning several pageants and talent shows, including an appearance on Ed McMahon’s Star Search at age 15. Her artistic ambitions eventually led her to New York in 1996, where after just three months, her dynamic voice and fierce delivery landed her a role as the first replacement in the Broadway production of Rent. Joining the original cast at its peak quickly parlayed into standout roles in Jesus Christ Superstar and Hairspray. No stranger to prime time TV, Shayna has made appearances on The Grammy Awards, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, and Carson Daly.
Shayna Steele is currently supporting her debut full length album, I’ll Be Anything, which is available now at her website and on iTunes.
Living in the moment
EDGE: Your debut full length record I’ll Be Anything came out last November, 2009. How have your fans reacted to the album?
Shayna Steele: They have definitely let me know their favorites which is cool. Each list is so different and it really tells me a lot about a person, what they might be going through if a certain song has helped them through something personal.
EDGE: So far you have done quite well on Broadway, starring in productions of Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar and Hairspray. Is Broadway in your future again?
Shayna Steele: I left theatre five years ago exactly and at this time have no desire to return. I can’t honestly say 100% that I’ll never go back, but it’s not what interests me right now. Writing music, touring and learning from artists that are way ahead of the game and promoting this album are all I think about. I tend to live in the moment...
EDGE: You grew up with a father who was in the Air Force. As a result, you lived in Germany for 7 years. How did that influence your view of the world?
Shayna Steele: Wow, great question. When I was living in Germany, I certainly look at it now and think how lucky I was to experience my earlier years over there. It was very safe and I never felt different or weird. It wasn’t until I moved to the U.S. that I experienced racism. Sorry. It was like, the minute I stepped onto U.S. soil, there was someone asking me "what are you?" It was really crazy. I’ve learned to embrace our differences to a certain point. I’m proud to be an American. This country is resilient and has given me so many opportunities. It’s home. We are a young country, still taking baby steps and tripping over things but we pick ourselves back up and keep moving forward.
Story continues on following page.
Shayna Steele singing "Let it Be" at Equality & Justice Day 2009 at the closing ceremony in April, 2009.
Watch this promotional reel about Shayna Steele .
Watch Shayna Steele sing "If I Own Today" live at Birdland - 12/7/09 .
