Anne Steele isn’t afraid to let her Pride shine through her music. The lesbian singer-songwriter from New York City stopped by Atlanta on Oct. 1 to introduce her new EP, Made Out of Stars, at the City Winery alongside fellow out singer-songwriter Matt Alber. We sat down with Anne to discuss her new EP and how her LGBTQ identity affects the songs she writes and performs.
Anne’s appearance in early October was not the first time she’s performed in Atlanta, she tells the Georgia Voice. “The first time I [performed in Atlanta] was two years ago as a partnership with Atlanta Pride,” she said. “[Matt] and I played there the weekend before Pride. We paired with Atlanta Pride and did a ticket giveaway and a launch. Because we’re both out artists, we thought it was a really good pairing.” However, it is her first time introducing her EP, which was released in January, to Atlanta. The EP features a few songs Anne wrote about and for the LGBTQ community.
“There’s a song called ‘Love Somebody’ that I wrote about feeling like you don’t fit in or you’re not good enough or strong enough or pretty enough,” she told the Georgia Voice. “Or when you’re gay and don’t feel like you fit in. I grew up in a small town in Indiana, so I know what it feels like to not fit in. The song says, ‘If you feel that way, you can always come dance with me. You never have to be alone.’ It’s a dance song but it’s also very inclusive of people who don’t it in and telling your story.”
The EP also sees the return of Anne’s 2016 single “Love Can Take Us There,” a song she wrote in response to the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. “I was trying to figure out, ‘What can I do?’ In that moment, everybody felt sort of desperate to help. So, I went to Nashville and wrote it with two out songwriters, Shane Stevens and Stephony Smith.” All net proceeds of the song were donated to the now-closed OneOrlando Fund, which directly distributed the money to victims’ families and survivors.
“That song in particular is about love overcoming hate,” she said. “And it’s a really good song for the community; it’s great for Pride. I think that song in particular is a really connective song.”
Anne brought the uplifting anthem back to her EP as two entirely new, different versions: a 2019 remix, produced by Nash Overstreet of Hot Chelle Rae, and an acoustic rendition.
So, what’s next for the singer-songwriter? She’ll be traveling to Italy to perform on an all-female, lesbian Olivia Cruise. While this engagement will unfortunately prevent her from returning to Atlanta for Pride, you can still celebrate with her by listening to her Pride anthems this weekend and year-round on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, or wherever you listen to music.