Cavetown's Benefit Concert for LGBTQ+ Aid

Summary

Podcast Summary: Cavetown's Benefit Concert for LGBTQ+ Aid

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode Date: December 5, 2025
Guest: Robin Skinner (Cavetown)

---

Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Robin Skinner, the British singer-songwriter known as Cavetown. Skinner discusses his nonprofit organization, This Is Home Project, which supports LGBTQ+ youth by providing access to safe housing and healthcare. The episode previews Cavetown’s upcoming benefit concert at the Music Hall of Williamsburg and explores how his music and activism intertwine to support the LGBTQ+ community.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Origins of “This Is Home” and the Project (02:03–03:04)

• Alison Stewart introduces Cavetown (Robin Skinner) and his nonprofit, This Is Home Project, named after his breakout song “This Is Home.”
• Robin Skinner shares the song’s roots:
  • Robin felt uncomfortable in his own skin as a queer, trans person and wrote the song "as a little kind of lullaby to myself to comfort myself while I was figuring myself out." (02:14)
  • The phrase and the song have since resonated with many fans facing similar struggles.

2. Evolving Meaning of “This Is Home” (04:12–05:20)

• Over the years, the meaning of the song shifted dramatically for Robin.
  • Quote: “It was a song originally that I wrote for myself, coming from a very lonely place and feeling out of place in... myself and in my identity.”
  • Performing it for audiences transformed it into an "anthem" for community and mutual support:
    • “It's really cool that there's been a positive shift for me in the meaning of the song. Whenever we sing it at the end of a set, it just feels like the room... We're all giving each other a hug and we all understand one another.” (04:33)

3. Mission and Activities of This Is Home Project (05:20–06:20)

• Purpose: The organization uplifts the LGBTQ+ community, with a focus on homeless youth.
• Activities:
  • Fundraising for transitions and surgeries
  • Collaborating with other organizations to provide housing, education, and mental health resources
  • Robin frames the project as a way to "keep showing up" for the community that has supported him.

4. Benefit Concert Details and Artist Lineup (06:20–07:12)

• The concert will be held December 14 at Music Hall of Williamsburg.
• Lineup includes (as listed by Robin):
  • Chloe Moriondo (“my dear friend... did our previous benefit show”)
  • Annie DeRusso
  • Sydney Gish
  • Sydney Rose
  • Tall Girlfriends (duo)
  • Dreamer Isioma (“I’m a big fan of his music.”)
• Robin humorously notes it’s also a bit of a birthday celebration for himself: “It’s also my birthday, the day afterwards...”

5. Life in New York (07:12–07:41)

• Alison highlights Robin’s connection to New York, both through previous shows and his current move.
• Robin mentions, “It’s definitely been a challenge,” implying transitions and adapting to a new city, but details are cut off due to technical issues.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On writing “This Is Home”:
  “I kind of sang it as like a little... lullaby to myself to comfort myself while I was figuring myself out.” – Robin Skinner (02:14)
• How the song’s meaning has changed:
  “Now it's kind of become more of an anthem for me of, like, community and the support that... I'm able to give to my community and the support that they give to me in return.” – Robin Skinner (04:33)
• On the concert feeling like a birthday:
  “It’s also my birthday, the day afterwards, which is another parallel. So it’s kind of a birthday celebration for me too.” – Robin Skinner (06:52)

---

Highlighted Audio Segments

• [01:09–01:28]: Clip of Cavetown’s “This is Home”
• [03:04–04:12]: Recent live version from 2019 played
• [08:27–10:02]: Cavetown’s song “NPC” played as the segment is ending

---

Tone and Language

• Robin’s tone is warm, self-reflective, and deeply empathetic, often expressing gratitude for his community and fans.
• Host Alison Stewart maintains an encouraging and engaged approach, framing the discussion around community and artistic activism.

---

Final Thoughts

The episode showcases the powerful intersection of music, personal journey, and activism in Cavetown’s work. Through candid conversation, performances, and insights into the intent behind the benefit concert, listeners gain an intimate perspective on how Robin Skinner continues to support, inspire, and uplift LGBTQ+ youth.

---

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 02:03–03:04 — Origins of song/This Is Home Project
• 04:12–05:20 — Evolution of “This Is Home” meaning
• 05:37–06:20 — Focus and activities of the nonprofit
• 06:25–07:12 — Benefit concert details & artist lineup
• 08:27–10:02 — Outro with “NPC”

---

For those interested in supporting, the benefit concert is set for December 14 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, with proceeds to This Is Home Project—a testament to Cavetown’s vision for a supportive, inclusive community.

Transcript

[A]

WWNYC Studios is supported by AT&T. Hearing a voice can change everything. So AT&T wants everyone to gift their voice to loved ones this holiday season because that convo is a chance to say something you'll hear forever. AT&T. Connecting changes everything.

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Our last concert preview today comes from Katie, the alias of the British New York based singer songwriter Robin Skinner.

[B]

Speak like tarmac how do your fingers out of my mouth I like the things I can't have Tell me that it isn't over.

[A]

In 2022, Skinner founded the nonprofit this Is Home with the aim to provide safe housing and health care to LG LGBTQ + young people. On December 14th, he'll perform at Music hall of Williamsburg in a benefit show alongside friends including rising musicians Annie DeRusso and Sydney Rose. In January, Cavetown will also be reading releasing a new album titled Running with Scissors, which captures a transitional period of his life that included moving to New York. Robin, welcome to all of it.

[C]

Hello.

[D]

Thank you for having me.

[A]

Your nonprofit is named after a song you released some 10 years ago when you were around 16 years old. It's called this is Home. Where did that phrase come from?

[D]

I guess it came from a place within me where I didn't feel at home in my body. And I wanted to kind of convince myself that I could feel at home in my body. And I wrote it at a time where I, I didn't have a lot of people in my life who had a similar experience to mine with being queer, being a trans person.

And so I kind of sang it to myself. I kind of sang it as like a little. A little kind of lullaby to myself to comfort myself while I was figuring myself out. And it's been amazing to see that touch so many people that, that are just like me and, and for them to inspire me by. By, you know, sharing in that experience.

[A]

This is a version of the song that you did in 2019. We're going to play a little bit of it.

[B]

Often. I am upset that I cannot fall in love But I guess this avoids the stress of falling out of it.

Are you tired of me yet? I'm a little sick right now But I swear when I'm ready I'll fly us out of here.

I'll cut my hair.

To make you stare.

I'll hide my chest and I'll figure out a way to get us out of here.

[A]

Robyn, how has the song or its meaning changed for you over the last decade?

[D]

It's changed a lot, for sure. I mean, it. It used to be. It was a song originally that I wrote for myself, coming from a very lonely place and feeling out of place in. In myself and in my identity. And.

Over the years, I played it probably hundreds of times now for audiences all over the world. And every time I play just it. It's. It's crazy to me to be in front of people, the people. The very people that I needed at the time that I wrote the song originally. And now it's kind of become more of an anthem for me of, like, community and the support that. That. That I'm able to give to my community and the support that they give to me in return. And, yeah, whenever. Whenever we sing at the end of a set, it just. It feels like the room. We're all giving each other a hug and we all understand one another, and it's really. It's really cool that it's created like there's been a positive shift for me in the meaning of the song.

[A]

I'm speaking to Robert Skinner, aka Cave Town. He's leading a benefit concert next Sunday, December 14, at the Music hall of Williamsburg. Your nonprofit is this is Home Project. What's the focus of the project?

[D]

It's really to uplift my community to. We. We raise funds and work closely with organizations that help with the LGBTQ + homeless youth situation and helps uplift. We help to uplift people in my community, whether that's. Whether that's in education, if they need support with their mental health. Um, I've done a bit of, um, fundraising for people's transitions and their surgeries, and essentially just a way for me to keep showing up for my community that have gotten me so far and changed my life, and I want to do the same for them.

[A]

You're hosting this concert on December 14th. What's the plan? Who's in the lineup?

[D]

Well, I'm going to be there, of course. My dear friend Chloe Moriondo, who I go way back with, I think I believe Chloe also did our previous benefit show, so that'll be great to see her again there. Annie Deroso, Sydney Gish, Sydney Rose, and my two friends who form the band Tall Girlfriends. And also Dreamer Isioma, who I'm very excited to see there. I'm a big fan of his music. And, yeah, I was listening into your previous interview, and, yeah, I have a similar situation where I kind of selfishly just want to see all of these great artists together in one place. And it's also my birthday. The day afterwards, which is another parallel. So it's kind of a birthday celebration for me too.

[A]

You've been connected to New York for a while. Your previous benefit shows also happened here, but now you're officially based here. How is settling into New York felt?

[D]

Yeah, it's been a. It's definitely been a challenge. And.

[A]

Robin, are you here? Are you there?

I think we lost Robin, unfortunately. Well, I was speaking to Robin Skinner, aka Cave Town. He's heading a benefit concert next Sunday, December 14th at Music hall of Williamsburg. Proceeds will go to his charity. This is the Home Project. This is Home Project, which helps provide LGBTQ young people with hing housing and health care. Congratulations and good luck with your benefit happening on Sunday, December 14th. Let's go out on his song NPC.

[B]

Sam.

Nobody knows me?

That's what they call me? You know who? Got a void for a body?

No one can see me, not even you? I settle in?

I light a soul and blow the fuse? I pick my skin, can't get comfy, no, I refuse? I can stand my sweet?

Nobody sees what I see.

Here I go on a flame again? To a place where all they truly live still it's all new to me? Uncanny valley girl dream?

The main character acting like an npc Everybody's at home away.

Me? I live in the space in between?

I live in the space in between?

[A]

And that is all of it. All of it is produced by Andrea Duncan Mao, Kate Hines, Jordan Loft, Simon Close, Zach Ghatar Cohen, El Malik Anderson and Luke Green. Megan Ryan is the head of Live Radio. Our engineers are Juliana Fonda and Amber Bruce. Our intern was India Rice. Thanks, India. Luscious Jackson does our music. I'm Alison Stewart. I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. I'll meet you back here next time.

[E]

The holidays mean more travel, more shopping, more time online and more personal info in more places that could expose you more to identity theft. But Lifelock monitors millions of data points per second. If your identity is stolen, our US based restoration specialists will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Don't face drained accounts, fraudulent loans or financial losses alone. Get more holiday fun and less holiday worry with LifeLock. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit LifeLock.com SpecialOffer terms apply.

[C]

This is Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, the science Friday team has been reporting high quality science and technology news, making science fun for curious people by covering everything from the outer reaches of space to the rapidly changing world of AI to the tiniest microbes in our bodies. Audiences trust our show because they know we're driven by a mission to inform and serve listeners first and foremost with important news they won't get anywhere else. And our sponsors benefit from that halo effect. For more information on becoming a sponsor, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.