Skin (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Skin
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Skin at the 2011 Eska Music Awards
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Deborah Ann Dyer |
| Born | 3 August 1967 |
| Origin | Brixton, London, England |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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| Associated acts | Skunk Anansie |
Deborah Anne Dyer OBE (born August 3, 1967), known by her stage name Skin, is a British singer, musician, and songwriter. She is the main singer for the band Skunk Anansie. This band is often seen as part of the Britrock music style in the UK. Skin is known for her strong, wide-ranging singing voice and her unique look.
In 2015, Skin became a judge on the Italian TV show The X Factor for one season. In 2016, she was on the cover of the UK magazine Diva. After making new music and touring with Skunk Anansie, Skin was featured on the cover of Classic Rock magazine in 2018. She also received the Inspirational Artist Award at the Music Week Awards. This happened before Skunk Anansie celebrated 25 years together. She also appeared on the cover of Kerrang! magazine in November 2018.
Mavis Bayton, who wrote the book Frock Rock, said that "women like Skin, Natacha Atlas, Yolanda Charles, and Debbie Smith are now important role models for future generations of black women."
Contents
Early Life and Dreams
Deborah Ann Dyer was born on August 3, 1967, in Brixton, London. Her parents were from Jamaica. Her father worked in the Royal Air Force and later on oil rigs. Her mother was a nurse and then worked for the government. Skin has said her parents were "very strict."
When she was 6, she moved to a small house in Acre Lane with her grandfather. He ran a nightclub in the basement. Skin remembers there was "always music and rum" and posters of Bob Marley and Muhammad Ali. These things inspired her. As a child, she wanted to be a pianist. When she was 14, she read Macbeth, a play by Shakespeare. She said she loved how "intricate and complex" the play was.
Skunk Anansie's Journey
The band Skunk Anansie started in 1994. They released three albums: Paranoid & Sunburnt, Stoosh, and their third album. They sold more than five million records around the world. Their biggest hit song was "Weak".
The band broke up in 2001. After that, Skin started her own solo music career. Skunk Anansie got back together in 2009. As of 2024, the band has released six studio albums. They have also toured with famous artists like David Bowie, U2, and Lenny Kravitz.
Skin's Solo Music Career
After Skunk Anansie split up, Skin released her first solo album called Fleshwounds. This album had a softer sound compared to her Skunk Anansie music. It did not become as popular with Skunk Anansie fans. She even changed her famous bald look and grew her hair short.
While the album was not a huge hit in the UK, two songs were released from it: "Trashed" and "Faithfulness". Another song, "Lost," was released with "Getting Away with It" as a double A-side. Skin felt her record company did not promote the album much in England. However, it did better in Europe, selling over half a million copies.
After Fleshwounds, Skin performed many solo concerts across Europe. She also opened for Robbie Williams and Placebo on their tours in Europe.
Soon after touring, she started recording her second album, Fake Chemical State. This album was released on March 20, 2006. A new song, "Just Let the Sun", came out two weeks before the album. The first song from this album was "Alone in My Room". It was a download-only track released on November 7, 2005. "Alone in My Room" was also the name of Skin's first solo tour in two years. It began in Berlin in November 2005. For this album, she shaved her head bald again, going back to her look from her Skunk Anansie days.
Skin's next solo activity was a small tour to promote "Fake Chemical State." It started in Glasgow on March 17, 2006. She then performed at many festivals across Europe. These included Rock Werchter in Belgium and the Southside/Hurricane festivals in Germany. She performed on the main stage at most of these festivals.
In February 2008, she announced she was working on a side project called "Format-3" with Timo Maas and Martin Buttrich. Her 2008 song "Tear Down These Houses" was part of the music for the movie Parlami d'Amore. This movie was directed by Silvio Muccino.
She sings in the opening song "Renaissance" for Medici: Masters of Florence. This is a Netflix TV series that came out in October 2016.
Skin has always loved electronic music. She started making this type of music when her friend Damian Lazarus gave her a mixer in 2009. Using the name D-Dyer, she began her journey as a DJ. She has been DJing for over ten years. She plays Techno, Tech House, and Minimal music all over the world. She has played at famous places like Output in New York, Sound Nightclub in LA, and Fabric in London.
In 2015, Skin worked with techno artist Nicole Moudaber. They released the Breed EP on Nicole's Mood Records. It has five songs, including "Don't Talk To Me I'm Dancing." In 2016, she DJ-ed at Carl Cox's Revolution in Ibiza and at Coachella. She also released Techno music under the name Juvenal through Mood Records.
In 2020, Skin was on the UK version of The Masked Singer. She appeared as Duck. Her identity was revealed in episode six when she was eliminated. A book about her life, It Takes Blood and Guts, was written with Lucy O'Brien. It was published in September 2020. On October 18, 2020, Skin started hosting a Sunday-night radio show called The Skin Show on Absolute Radio.
Other Activities and Recognition
Skin earned a degree in Interior Architecture & Design from Teesside Polytechnic in 1989. She also received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Teesside University in 2000.
In January 2021, Skin became the Chancellor at Leeds Arts University in Leeds, England. This is an important role in the university.
Since the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum in 2016, Skin has spoken out against Brexit. She has talked about its effects, such as an increase in racism and a shortage of workers.
She was given the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours. This award recognized her services to music.
After the results of the 2022 Italian election were announced, Skin shared her disappointment. She said that Italy was "sinking towards fascism" again.
Music Releases
Solo Studio Albums
- Fleshwounds (2003)
- Fake Chemical State (2006)
Guest Appearances
- Vocals on "Carmen Queasy" from Maxim's (from The Prodigy) 2000 solo album, Hell's Kitchen – UK Chart Number 33
- Vocals on "Licking Cream" from Sevendust's second album, Home
- Vocals on "You Can't Find Peace", by Pale3, made for the film Der Krieger und die Kaiserin (The Princess and the Warrior)
- Vocals on "Good Times", by Ed Case – UK Chart Number 68
- Vocals on "If This Ain't Love" by Erick Morillo & Eddie Thoneick – released 2012
- Sings "Still Standing" from Unity – The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games Album
- Performs "Kill Everything" on the music for the film L'Empire des Loups
- Sings on "La Canzone Che Scrivo Per Te" on the album Che Cosa Vedi by Marlene Kuntz
- Sings on "Stagioni D'Amore" (Seasons of Love) from the cast album for the Italian production of Rent
- Vocals on "Meat" from Tony Iommi's album Iommi
- Vocals on "Comfort of Strangers" on the music for the film Timecode
- Vocals on "Remains" on the third part of Bastille's Other People's Heartache EP
- Contributes to charity song "It's Only Rock And Roll"
- "Not an Addict" (with K's Choice) – live at Pinkpop 1996
- "Army of Me" (with Björk) – live version on Top of the Pops, May 5, 1995
- "Anti Love Song" (Betty Davis cover; live on Taratata with Lenny Kravitz)
- Vocals on "Nothing Matters" by Mark Knight.
