Skin awarded an OBE for her services to music by King Charles
At Windsor Castle
Last updated 7th Feb 2023
Skunk Anansie singer and Absolute Radio presenter Skin received her OBE from King Charles today (7th February) at Windsor Castle.
Wearing an incredible black outfit, Skin – real name Deborah Ann Dyer - was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by King Charles III for her services to music during an investiture ceremony.
Afterwards, Skin proudly posed for photographs outside Windsor Castle while proudly clutching her OBE.
First established by King George V in 1917, OBEs reward contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service.
Paul McCartney’s daughter Stella McCartney was also at the ceremony today where she was awarded a CBE for services to fashion and sustainability.
Skin’s OBE was first announced way back in June 2021 as part of the late Queen’s 2021 Birthday Honours list.
At the time of the announcement, Skin wrote on Instagram: “The face you make when you get an OBE!!
“Not bad for a skinny black girl from Brixton who fell in love with Rock & Roll!! But seriously, this is a lovely thing to happen to me and I’m quite chuffed, gonna take a step back and suck it in.”
55-year-old Skin co-founded Skunk Anansie in 1994 alongside bassist Richard "Cass" Lewis and guitarist Martin "Ace" Kent and the band’s first two studio albums – 1995’s ‘Paranoid & Sunburnt’ and 1996’s ‘Stoosh’ - went Platinum in the UK.
Skunk Anansie also scored a string of hit singles in the late 90s including ‘Weak’, ‘Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)’, ‘Brazen (Weep)’ and ‘Charlie Big Potato’, and they were the last band of the 20th Century to headline The Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury when they topped the bill on Sunday 27th June 1999.
Seven years after their split, Skunk Anansie reformed in 2008 and they have released three further studio albums to date – ‘Wonderlustre’ (2010), ‘Black Traffic’ (2012) and ‘Anarchytecture’ (2016).
In 2020, Skin released her acclaimed autobiography ‘It Takes Blood And Guts’ and she was unveiled as The Duck on the first series of TV show The Masked Singer.
In October 2020, Skin hosted a new 10-part series on Absolute Radio called The Skin Show, and it has since returned for two more series.
Absolute Radio’s Skin Tings podcast features Skin chatting to her musical heroes and some of the most exciting up and coming talent.
Guests have included Debbie Harry, Billy Corgan, Shirley Manson, Arlo Parks, Paul Weller, Sam Bettens, Joan Armatrading, Living Colour and the legendary Annie Lennox.
Everyone at Absolute Radio congratulates Skin on her OBE today!