Skin awarded OBE in the Queen's 2021 Birthday Honours list
She's been recognised for her "services to music"
Last updated 13th Jun 2021
Skunk Anansie singer and Absolute Radio presenter Skin has been awarded an OBE (The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s 2021 Birthday Honours list.
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.
Honoured under her real name of Deborah Ann Dyer, singer, songwriter, author, DJ, model and radio presenter Skin has been recognised for her “services to music.”
Celebrating the news, Skin shared a photo of herself on Instagram and wrote: “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.”
53-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).
Last year, 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 returned for a second season in early 2021.
Absolute Radio’s Skin Tings podcast, which launched this spring, 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 incredible achievement!