Be Steadwell
Be Steadwell (she/her) is a singer-songwriter from Washington DC. As a blend of soul, acapella, and folk, Be calls her music QUEER POP. In her live performances, she utilizes looping, vocal layering, and beatboxing to compose her songs on stage. Be's original music features earnest lyricism, and Affirming LGBTQ content.
As she pursued her career in music, she began a career in film. Shooting and editing her own music videos, Be combined her love of music with narrative film. After receiving a BA at Oberlin College, Be completed her MFA in film at Howard University in 2014. Her film Vow of Silence featured in film festivals around the world, including Black Star, HBO's OutFest, The Schomburg Center, Inside Out Toronto, and Fringe Fest UK. In 2017, Issa Rae Featured Vow of Silence on her Short Film Sundays YouTube Channel.
Be has shared stages with fellow artist Activists Big Freedia, Nona Hendryx, Nikky Finney, and Gina Yashere. In 2017 Be sang at The Women's March on the National Mall behind Maxwell and Janelle Monae in Toshi Reagon's Big Lovely Band. In May 2018 Be released her newest album Queer Love Songs. In her latest musical, A Letter to My Ex, Be tells stories of love, loss, and intimacy through a collage of music, movement, and film — narrating one character’s journey through the year following a breakup.
Image courtesy of Be Steadwell