The singer on being unmasked on TV, her problem with loyalty, and the trouble with phone cameras. Born in London, Skin, 57, worked as an interior designer before becoming lead singer of Skunk Anansie in 1994. The band had hit singles with songs including Weak and Hedonism; in 1999, Skin became the first black woman to headline Glastonbury. After a hiatus in the early 2000s, the band reformed in 2009. Their new single is An Artist Is An Artist and a UK and European tour begins on 28 February. Skin lives in New York and London with her partner LadyFag and their three-year-old daughter.
When were you happiest?. The first few years of touring with my band, especially in America. We were stupid kids with so much energy – it was wild. What is your greatest fear?. Oh, just a rightwing wave sweeping across the globe like a demonic cloud of hate – a bit like it is now.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?. Loyalty. You need to have razor-sharp intuition to be strongly loyal or, like me, you can waste a lot of time waiting for people to be better. What is the trait you most deplore in others?. People who relish being unkind and impolite.
What was your most embarrassing moment?. The Duck; it’s the fucking duck [Skin appeared as Duck on ITV’s The Masked Singer in 2020]. What is your most treasured possession?. Joy. I have a lot of joy. Who would play you in the film of your life?. Brad Pitt – squint and you can see it.
