With her love of music nurtured from a young age, it has been a huge part of Katie de Veau’s life since then. Through the inspirational encouragement of a high school teacher, she tried her hand at song writing in her later school years.
She laughs as she recalls her first attempt of recording “on a dinky little tape recorder in her lounge room, with dogs barking and the phone ringing in the background”. However in 1994 she was offered her first big break, the opportunity to record an album with a local recording company the hometown of her youth, Armidale.
She tells me that it was “a wonderful yet mad crazy experience”. Rehearsing songs in a woolshed all day and recording from midday through to midnight. “It was a lot of fun, and really hot!”
Having come a long way from Armidale, the dinky tape recorder and the woolshed, Katie is now a Canberra local who has produced two albums and gained a solid fan base.
With years of experience playing at festivals and local events, her music has a mellow, acoustic sound. She describes her sound as “acoustic rock with folk and country sprinkles” and laughs that her band says that she plays “girly rock”.
Having toured internationally and with many Aussie fans, Katie is an experienced performer. “I feel so at home on stage and just love connecting with people through song and story” she says.
Katie has been described as “.an artist whose music is genuinely cross-generational, artistic, thought provoking and dynamic.” (Tim Costello, World Vision Australia).
A mother of three who toured the world performing up until the birth of her first child in 2003, Katie has since been a pastor for three years, started a vocal coaching business, taught worship ministry workshops and with various recordings and festivals scattered in between. She is the true definition of a super mum! And in true super mum style, fans can expect a new album sometime over the next 12-18 months.
Katie’s love of God shines through in speaking to her. Both our conversation and her songs make it clear that He is her inspiration. “Whatever I do has a Christian tint because that’s how I see the world. They are the glasses that I wear so everything that I see, everything I write comes from faith.”
A country girl from her younger years, Katie tells me that “the bush church can offer us a lot; it is not just a one way street. It is worth saving, looking after and respecting.”
Katie will be performing at the Bush Church Aid Society Rally in Canberra on March 12th 2010. Come along at 7.30pm for coffee and dessert to hear from Katie and more about the work of BCA. CD’s will be available for purchase on the night with a percentage of the proceeds going towards BCA.
