Anne Steele is having fun. You can tell it when she’s giving an interview, when she’s singing, or even when she’s chatting up a fan in the audience. She’s a mainstay of the New York City cabaret scene, producing a full new show every year. 

“I’ve been thinking about how important it is to use our voices, especially right now,” Steele told OutSFL in an exclusive interview as she prepares for her annual show at Sunshine Cathedral. 

This year’s show is This One’s For the Girls, a curated collection of songs written and/or performed by women. 

“This show focuses on women’s voices in music. It’s a deep dive, it goes all over the place.” 

Early versions of the show included songs from heavy hitters including Brandi Carlile, En Vogue, Shania Twain and more (the set list is subject to change). Despite growing up in the conservative exurbs of Indianapolis, Steele had the strongest of strong role models. 

“I grew up with a super strong mother. My parents divorced when I was five. My mom was strong, powerful, she taught me what it meant to be a woman in the world.” 

Steele debuted and workshopped the show in NYC, including the must-visit Joe’s Pub. She’s been doing the show for a few months, hitting at least five LGBTQ meccas and tweaking it along the way. By the time she performs at Sunshine Cathedral on Jan. 31, we’ll be getting peak Anne. 

“The space is so beautiful at Sunshine. The stage is so big, there’s plenty of space for everyone. It’s gonna be a rockin’ show.” 

This One’s For the Girls connects with her musical heroes. 

“For me, looking for a woman, being in music, I was looking in music. I started looking back at the songs that connected with me and meant something. The artists, and the songwriters, and musicians.” 

You’d think this would come so naturally that she would have the first show she toured. But boys came first. 

“My first show was titled Where the Boys Are, which for me, as a lesbian, made sense. Growing up I connected with songs about women, and that’s what men were singing about.” 

Anne is also a popular performer among cruise lines. At sea she does “a mix tape of my life” ranging from Aretha to Adele and everyone in between. An Atlantis Cruise goes out of Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 1, and while she’s not headlining that voyage, she hopes some of her seafaring fans will come see her at Sunshine. 

For tickets or more information, visit SunshineCathedral.org/Arts. 

Anne Steele. Photo by Christopher Boudewyns.