Scissor Sisters Confirm Reunion and UK Tour

Pop group Scissor Sisters have confirmed their reunion, occurring 12 years after they announced an “indefinite hiatus” during a live performance. The American band is scheduled to perform a 10-date tour across the UK in May 2025, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of their successful debut album, also titled Scissor Sisters. Frontman Jake Shears shared his thoughts with BBC News regarding the band’s past achievements, stating, “It’s wild.” He added, “It feels like yesterday, and then it also feels like a really long time ago.” Ana Matronic, a founding member, has chosen not to participate in the upcoming reunion performances; however, the band intends to acknowledge her on stage. Keyboard player and bassist Scott “Baby Daddy” Hoffman commented, “It gives us an opportunity to do things in kind of a different way.” He further explained, “Not to replace Ana in any way, but to get some people on stage and ask some friends to do fun things.” When questioned about the possibility of guest appearances from Rebecca Lucy Taylor, who performed alongside Shears in the London production of Cabaret last year, the band expressed excitement. Shears remarked, “God, I love her so much.” He continued, “I feel lucky to be on the stage, any time I’m on stage with her.” Baby Daddy supported the idea, stating, “It’s a great idea,” and suggested, “Maybe she’ll come do some songs.” Regardless of the specifics, Shears guaranteed a “little bit of chaos and anarchy” during the performances. He asserted, “That’s the magic ingredient and we’re definitely gonna bring that ‘anything can happen’ energy again.” Originating from New York’s queer nightlife scene, Scissor Sisters achieved chart success with their vibrant rendition of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb in late 2003 and early 2004. The band’s debut album became the UK’s top-selling record of 2004, securing them three Brit Awards and additional chart successes with prominent pop anthems like Take Your Mama and Filthy/Gorgeous. In 2006, they reached the top of the singles chart with I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’, a track co-written with Elton John. They also achieved further hits with the power ballad Fire With Fire and Only The Horses, which was produced by Calvin Harris. Following the release of four albums, the group declared a hiatus on the concluding night of their residency at London’s Roundhouse. Shears informed the sold-out audience, “This will be the last time we will play in London for quite some time.” Reflecting on that period, the musician stated his desire to conclude the band’s active phase on a high note, particularly after the significant success of the drag-inspired single Let’s Have A Kiki, which continues to be popular at gay bars and Pride events. He commented, “Kiki was such a sensation, and it was so unexpected.” He elaborated, “At that moment, I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’ve got anything left to say through this filter’.” Baby Daddy expressed an interest in creating graphic novels, while guitarist Del Marquis was involved in interior design. Shears noted, “We all had our different fascinations we wanted to explore.” During the period of the hiatus, Shears launched two solo albums and co-wrote the Broadway musical Tammy Faye with Elton John. Concurrently, Baby Daddy pursued his literary interests alongside songwriting contributions for artists such as Kylie Minogue, Tinashe, and Demi Lovato. The idea for a reunion emerged during the pandemic, when the band organized a live-stream of their 2007 concert DVD to raise funds for the charity Trans Lifeline. Shears remarked, “We kind of surprised ourselves that the show was good and that there was something there that was unfinished.” Marquis added, “It was incredible to see the support we had back then.” He explained, “We sometimes forget about that because we’d always go back to the US, where we weren’t necessarily [as big].” Baby Daddy concurred, stating, “There’s something very particular about the way the UK adopted us.” He described it as, “Less as fans, but almost like family, in a funny way.” The British music industry operated distinctly differently at the time of Scissor Sisters’ inception. Consumers regularly purchased CDs from supermarkets and Woolworths, with many of these releases being uninspired, mainstream offerings from artists such as Katie Melua, Il Divo, and Keane. The group’s eclectic blend of rock, pop, electro-clash, disco, burlesque, and balladry provided not merely a refreshing change, but a powerful impact. Shears fondly remembered a previous conversation where he recounted a critic’s negative review of their debut, which described it as “a confusing board game of an album.” He then laughed, saying, “I forgot about that, but it’s true!” Baby Daddy stated, “We were hoping for something that felt like we were changing the dial on the radio station with every song.” He concluded, “I think we glued it together pretty successfully.” Indeed, it holds the distinction of being the 38th best-selling album of all time, a remarkable achievement in the current streaming era. Beyond their chart achievements, Scissor Sisters signified a significant evolution in the pop industry’s embrace of gay culture and queer expression. Even two decades after groups like Frankie Goes To Hollywood and The Communards, openly identifying as an “out” band remained uncommon and was perceived as a risk by some within the music industry. Shears recalled, “I remember being asked back in the day, ‘Did you ever think about not being out as a band?’ and I just… it never even crossed my mind.” He added, “I think the queerness was baked in the cake of our music already.” Marquis stated, “By the time we were a band, I had been out for 10 years.” He humorously concluded, “The cat was out of the bag!” Baby Daddy indicated that the sole aspect they would alter was the media’s emphasis on their sexuality. He explained, “We didn’t mind people knowing that side of us, but we always felt that maybe we were more than that.” Marquis concurred, saying, “I think that was the note.” He clarified, “We’re not in the pantheon of ‘gay pop’, we’re just in the pantheon of pop.” Baby Daddy also mentioned, “There was an inclusion message, too.” He elaborated, “We didn’t want anyone to feel like they weren’t welcome if they weren’t if they weren’t gay.” He observed that “The landscape is so different now. Expressing your sexuality doesn’t mean other people aren’t allowed to participate – but there was a feeling then that it could be alienating.” After having prominently highlighted queer culture, the band expressed enthusiasm for their return in an era where artists such as Chappell Roan, Troye Sivan, and Billie Eilish are widely accepted as mainstream figures. They also expressed some surprise that their music has not only lasted but has gained renewed popularity in the US during their 12-year absence. Shears, speaking from his “cousin Jackie-Sue’s house in North Carolina,” marveled, “Even down South.” He recounted, “Just yesterday, she was like, ‘I was at the Winn-Dixie grocery store and they were playing your song’,” and laughed. He concluded, “That’s a really nice feeling, that the music has stuck around.”