There's no need to sugar coat it, since her impressive credits speak for themselves. Her colleagues praise her ability, her dedication and drive to perfecting her craft as a professional singer and knockout performer. On stage and in the studio, New York City based vocalist and songwriter Shayna Steele proves she is a vocal force to be reckoned with.
After appearing on Broadway in Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar and the original cast of Hairspray, Steele started writing music with partner David Cook in 2002. The two quickly developed a creative synergy, collaborating on Steele's eponymous debut EP in 2004. Though self-released, the album's breakout soul-funk single "High Yella" achieved the attention she needed to raise her solo profile. She and/or her band have since shared the stage with luminaries Ledisi, opening for George Clinton and the Sugar Hill Gang, a featured singer with Bjorkestra and Grammy winning conducter/composer/trumpeter Dave Douglas, featured with 2 x Grammy winner Snarky Puppy in 2014 at the Nice Jazz Festival, the Estival Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival, Java Jazz Festival and the Singapore Jazz Festival. Shayna is a vocalist with the Grammy- nominated Broadway Inspirational Voices and has worked as a sideman with Lizz Wright, Bette Midler, Natasha Bedingfield, John Legend, Matthew Morrison, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Rihanna and Kelly Clarkson.
"Disco Lies", the first single off Moby's 2008 release Last Night, reached #1 on the US Billboard Dance charts and went on to be featured in J.J. Abram's summer blockbuster Cloverfield and the movie The Backup Plan starring Jennifer Lopez. Her voice has remained high in demand with vocals on the Hairspray (movie soundtrack), 2012's The Bourne Legacy, Sex and the City 2, NBC's Smash, 2008 Summer Olympic highlights on BBC, The Shanghai Restoration Project and HBO's "The Sopranos". In December, Shayna reprised her role with the “Dynamites” in NBC’s Hairspray Live.
Shayna’s sophomore album, RISE (Ropeadope Records) has received rave reviews from both critics and fans alike and reached #4 on the U.S. iTunes jazz charts and #2 on the Italian iTunes Jazz Charts. Shayna is currently in the studio finishing up her 3rd solo album with producer David Cook set to release in early 2018. Please visit www.shaynasteele.com for more information.