Selina Steele was born in Otāki, North Island, New Zealand, and currently lives in Perth, Australia. At 53, she is living her best life in a place she loves, surrounded by family.
What is your favorite music, and what influenced your musical
taste?
Reggae has always been a part of my life. I grew up listening to legends like Bob Marley, Toots and the Maytals, UB40, and Peter Tosh in a small town that's mostly Māori. I still jam to those classics, but New Zealand has some incredible "Kiwi reggae" bands these days—SIX60, Katchafire, Sons of Zion, and L.A.B., to name a few. These bands blend Te Reo Māori with English, which helps me stay connected to my culture and language. But honestly, I’m all about music in any genre, old or new—whether it’s heavy metal, country, or anything in between. Music speaks to my soul.
Who is someone you look up to, and why?
I look up to my Dad. He had a tough start in life—growing up with alcoholic parents and an uncle who lived with them, along with domestic violence. Both his father and uncle would beat his mum so badly that she had a massive stroke when Dad was just 8 years old. But even that didn’t stop the drinking or the abuse.
I have so much love, respect, and admiration for him because he broke the cycle of violence and alcohol abuse. My mum and dad gave me an amazing childhood full of fun memories—sailing, skiing, rafting on the river, and just growing up free in the countryside. Sure, we had our challenges as a family. My brother often struggled with severe migraines and had to be hospitalized, and both my brother and I have ADHD (back then, we were just labeled as “disruptive,” even though we’re both smart and capable).
But my parents, especially my Dad, faced it all head-on, always staying positive. He’s taught me so much—how to work hard, tackle challenges, and age in a healthy, graceful way. He’s a true inspiration.
What is your favorite time of year and why?
Summer!! I love the beach, whether walking my dog, surfing, paddle boarding or just playing in the sand and shallows with my grandbabies. I’ve always lived by the coast—whether in NZ, Sydney, or Perth—and I can't imagine being far from it. I'm lucky that where I live in Perth, I’ve got plenty of beaches to choose from, all just a 10-minute walk or drive away. And with summer, there’s Christmas, New Year’s, and summer holidays, so it’s all about family time, barbequing, beers, day trips, and weekends away in the sunshine.
But when winter rolls around, I go into full hibernation mode, just like most Perthians. I’m convinced any temperature under 13°C might actually kill me. Growing up in NZ, I absolutely hated winter—the frost, frozen puddles, and iced-up windscreens were the worst. Plus, I had chilblains as a kid, which nobody in Perth seems to even know about unless they’ve come from a colder place.
What are you most afraid of?
Flying!! It totally terrifies me, but I power through with some prescribed medication so I can experience this amazing planet we all live on. Honestly, give me poisonous spiders, snakes, and jellyfish any day over an aeroplane!
What is the best thing that happened to you recently?
Today, I booked and paid for my Mum, who lives in NZ, to fly to Perth in October so she can meet her great-grandsons for the first time! Plus, she’ll get to celebrate Aziah’s 3rd birthday with us. My Mum doesn’t have a lot of money and lives on a standard government pension, so it feels amazing to be able to do this for her. I’m just really grateful to be able to make it happen. My sons and I are super excited about her visit—she hasn’t seen my boys since they were 8 and 11, except for on FaceTime!
What is the best advice you have ever received?
My Dad once told me, when I was at my lowest point and in the hospital, that I needed to walk barefoot on the earth and connect with nature—touch trees, sand, soil, and the ocean, and really listen and smell everything around me to ground myself. So, I did. I started walking barefoot in the park and at the beach, listening to the leaves rustling and the birds singing, smelling the ocean and the bush. I even started my own little veggie garden. It definitely helped with the healing process and taught me to step outside myself and appreciate all the natural beauty around me. Now, in my mid-50s, I never expected to be where I am today.
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