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Welsh ragga metal legends Skindred have released their brand-new single ‘You Got This’, accompanied by a brilliantly entertaining video.
The title track of their forthcoming ninth album, which has just been announced with a release date of April 17th via the legendary Earache Records, ‘You Got This’ is an instant Skindred classic, with Mikey Demus’s wrecking ball riffs bouncing through your head, as drummer Arya Goggin detonates a characteristically full-throttle rhythm. Meanwhile inimitable frontman Benji Webbe lurches between uncompromising toasting and delivering hooks like a heavyweight champion.
The inspiration for the track came when gym-devotee Benji saw a man struggling to complete his exercises as he started his rehabilitation after a stroke. The personal trainer told him, “You got this,” and the mood completely lifted.
“I was watching from a distance, and I could see the struggle and the pain, but in that moment, I knew he had got this,” recalls Benji. “It’s such an empowering statement and it applies to so many battles that everybody faces: it could be a recovery from a stroke, or it could be studying for your exams at school. For me, having songs that lift people who are going through tough times is the most important thing. I feel like that's what I'm put on this planet to do.”
Benji is the ultimate frontman — a man whose wild enthusiasm is instantly contagious, an adrenaline shot of pure motivation. His phenomenally powerful vocals are balanced with lighter, melodic moments of emotion that champion self-belief, resilience, and finding joy in the small things that make life worth living – he’s the loudest life coach you’ll ever meet.
And on the album You Got This he leads the newly slimmed-down Newport trio on a thrilling journey to follow the mainstream breakthrough that came with 2023’s critically-acclaimed album Smile. That album shot straight into the UK Official Album Chart at #2 and Skindred went on to receive the Best Alternative Music Act Award at the MOBOs, also winning Best UK Act at the Heavy Music Awards.
Long-revered as one of the best live bands on the planet, they played their largest headline show to date at Wembley Arena and toured the world, smashing every festival and headline performance and winning tens of thousands of new fans in the process. Those new fans will join Skindred’s long-established rabid fanbase in lapping up every note and lyric of You Got This. It’s an all-killer-no-filler set which features everything that people love about the band – hard-hitting slammers, mega addictive hooks, earwormy soundclash elements, and dancehall vibes destined to ignite venues across the globe.
Production came from the Grammy-winning Jay Ruston, who Arya admires for having the songwriting chops to work with ‘80s power ballad master Desmond Child, while also producing Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and Mike Patton’s, Mr Bungle. “It was working with someone who didn’t just stay in one lane, which is exactly what Skindred has always been about,” says the multi-talented drummer.
So now it’s all about Skindred’s future. There are big plans incoming, especially live, where Arya has seen the audience evolve into a mix of youngsters attending their first gig alongside the two generations above them. Benji is dreaming of Coachella or a prime Pyramid Stage slot at Glastonbury. But Mikey comes at the question from a different angle.
“When you start a band, you don’t think for a second that you’re going to headline Wembley. I don’t feel like we made it happen; the audience made it happen by committing to be there and travelling so far to come. When you’re in a band you’re always looking at the next thing and it can be hard to be like, wow, what’s happening right now is amazing. There are still so many people out there who should know us but have never heard of us. So, we’ve got this whole fight ahead of us still.”
And the motto for the band as they stand on the precipice of even greater success? Skindred – You Got This!!
