Very soon, on June 21, the British rock group Skunk Anansie will give a concert in Riga, in the Palladium concert hall. The group stands out with a powerful sound, emotionally strong lyrics and uncontrollable energy. The concert will include Skunk Anansie's greatest hits and songs from the latest album "The Painful Truth", which was released in May of this year.

In honor of this event, let's get to know the band leader, songwriter and vocalist Skin.

Vibrant, temperamental and outspoken, Skin is often cited as one of the most influential women on the British rock scene. The 57-year-old singer, fashion icon, as well as political and social activist, whose real name is Deborah Ann Dyer, was born in London to a family of Jamaican immigrants.

Faced with racism, violence, mobbing, ethnic and sexual identity crises as a child, Skin says that the difficulties only made her stronger: "I did not take this weight on my shoulders. When you point out other people's racism, sexism and homophobia, they seem to put this burden on you. But I have never pretended to be a victim in these situations. I believe that it is more productive to talk about the positive and success."

The group she created also stands out with a strong character - Skunk Anansie was founded in the mid-90s, at a time when the Britpop wave dominated with groups such as Oasis, Blur and Pulp at the forefront. However, Skin and her bandmates stayed true to their musical vision and didn't try to conform to fashion. Instead, they opted for a heavier, politically charged and rebellious sound, perfectly complemented by Skin's poetic and apt lyrics.

This, along with Skin's expressive exterior, unafraid to speak up and stand on the side of the socially disadvantaged, made Skunk Anansie a unique band. "A black, gay vocalist who didn't wear sexy clothes and sounded political? It was atypical and damn hard," says Skin. "The fact that I was the face of a rock band made a lot of people feel uncomfortable."

The singer believes that if you're forced to be someone you're not because of potential success, you don't need to please listeners or critics: "Honestly, what is success anyway? For me, success is making music and bringing it to a wider audience. If you judge your success through the eyes of a rock critic, you can damage your authenticity."

Skin is not just a rebellious rock musician who once befriended David Bowie, Motorhead leader Lemmy and fashion designer Alexander McQueen, sang a duet with Luciano Pavarotti and became the first black artist to headline the Glastonbury festival's big stage. As a solo artist and with a group, she performed at Nelson Mandela's 80th birthday concert with Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Nina Simone. She went on concert tours with the legendary rock group U2, Lenny Kravitz, Muse, Sex Pistols, Ra mmstein, Robbie Williams and other musicians, participated in the show The Masked Singer, and was also on the Italian X Factor jury.

The band leader is also a talented DJ, writer (her autobiography It Takes Blood And Guts was published in 2020), and chancellor of Leeds University of the Arts. Throughout her life, Skin has been active in various social, cultural and political initiatives - she went to West Africa together with the global human rights organization "Amnesty International", stood up against genital mutilation, helped children with special needs with music therapy, and also participated in the activities of the Baobab and Medical Foundation organizations, which help asylum seekers and victims of torture.

In 2021, she was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her contribution to music.

"I get bored if it's not hard. I find it more interesting mentally to move forward," says Skin. "If I'm not traveling, I feel stuck, something feels wrong. Luckily, being in a group never stays in one place for long."

Tickets for Skunk Anansie's Riga concert are available at www. bilesuserviss.lv and in all "Biļešu Serviss" sales points.