Singer-songwriter Maeve Steele grew up in a musical household, so music was very much a part of her upbringing. She began learning classical violin when she was four, and taught herself guitar at the age of 10.
“That’s when music became more of a personal, exploratory creative thing,” she says. “It was great that I had that classical foundation, but all of a sudden I felt like I was really expressing myself with music. That’s when I started really writing, and then it wasn’t until I was in college in Nashville that I started taking it seriously as a possible career. I was really shy, especially when it came to performing, especially performing my own songs. So, I thought going into school in Nashville that I wanted to be a songwriter, and then I just realized that I didn’t want to write songs that other people could take and live all the way through. So, I started pursuing being an artist.”
Steele describes her sound as dreamy, Americana-inspired pop, and cites Amy Winehouse, Joni Mitchell, Lana del Rey and Kacey Musgraves as major influences.
“Winehouse’s voice is so unique,” Steele says. “I think she’s one of those people who balances having that classical music foundation and putting her own spin on everything.”
Her latest single is “Shimmer,” and she describes the making of the music video as one of the highlights of her career so far.
“I just had so much fun,” she says. “It’s my first music video, and the fact that I got to do it with some of my best friends, we just got to dance and have fun and do what I love doing anyway, in amazing clothes, was really a plus for me. Also, I did a show in 2019 in Nashville, at the Cowan. The Cowan was brand new and it was a great lineup of other artists. All my best friends, people who I love and family were all there so that was a really special show for me.”
“Realizing that the way that you look at things and your mindset plays a huge part in your own happiness,” she says. “I wrote “Shimmer” when I was quarantined, and I just wanted to dance with my friends and feel some joy. So I guess in that way I was manifesting it into reality.”
Manifesting joy ties in nicely to her DIY ethic—a desire to bring her authentic self to the work she puts out. And she’s not done—she has more songs that she wants to release and, as soon as she’s able, she’ll announce some shows.
Visit maevesteele.com for all the info.
