Cavetown's Robin Skinner talks music, inspiration and finding community as a transgender artist

"It's always kind of been like journaling for me, just processing stuff that I'm going through or feelings I'm having," Cavetown's Robin Daniel Skinner ponders. "I find it easier to make sense of difficult things when I'm writing a song. I find it hard to put things into words unless it has music with it, I guess."

The Cambridge-based multi-platinum singer-songwriter-producer has indeed found acclaim through "journaling" confessional bedroom-pop anthems of identity and heartbreak. Cavetown's rise has been gradual, starting with the single "This Is Home" released in 2015 by a teenage Skinner through to breakout major label LP Worm Food in 2022 on Sire and high-profile gigs at Reading and Lollapalooza. Sharing whatever felt natural to him, Skinner had few expectations of fame. He explains that coming of age alongside his fans has been helpful, making his musical career feel somewhat "normal."

"I feel really lucky to have been growing up with my audience, and feel really connected with them since the beginning," says Skinner.

Like a timeline of his life, Skinner says that each Cavetown album is a different diary entry and a timestamp of who he is and was.

"It's a good marker to realize that I am improving and things are changing, stuff that mattered so much to me to write an album about when I was 12 doesn't matter anymore," says Skinner.

Seeking emotional solace when confronting identity has been constant in Cavetown's sonic journey, however.

"A lot of my early music is about my struggles with gender, and trying to figure out, like, what the heck is going on." Skinner often holds transgender pride flags onstage in honor of his own personal journey to self-acceptance. The artist uses his music as a way to delve into queer struggles.

Without music, Skinner says, he doesn't know where he'd be.

The shift from being awkward and shy and having few friends to meeting so many fellow transgender and nonbinary artists — "seeing people like me" — has been affirming for Skinner.

"It's kind of healing my past self in a way," says Skinner. "When I'm playing 'This Is Home' and everyone has the flags up, and people are emotional, I'm like, 'Oh my god, I can't believe everyone understands.'"

Skinner and Cavetown — eager to share newest EP Little Vice — are currently on a co-headlining tour with Mother Mother, set to play the Orlando Amphitheater Saturday.

Playing with Mother Mother for the first time was nerve-racking for Skinner, but they've become fast friends, with more touring and a collab in the works.

"They're awesome, I'm so amazed by their harmony, they're so tight," Skinner enthuses. "Ryan, the lead singer, has been really nice and seems really eager to work on some music project together, maybe in time for our Canada tour next year."

The second track on Little Vice, "Alone," sums up how Skinner felt most of his life, contrasted with how strange it feels to be faced with thousands of fans who look up to you.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that feeling, because I never grew up thinking I could hold that space," says Skinner. "For a long time I was like, 'Oh yeah, I'm alone,' but I was convincing myself that it was by choice. And now I'm very much not alone, and it kind of feels foreign sometimes."

Event Details

Mother Mother, Cavetown, Destroy Boys

Sat., June 29, 6:30 p.m.

Orlando Amphitheater 4603 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando Central

Buy Tickets

$44-$160