Scissor Sisters’s Jake Shears: ‘I couldn’t be happier to be in a loud, queer band at this moment in time’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Speaking to Attitude at BST Hyde Park, Shears talks reuniting with his bandmates and why his dream farewell involves Glastonbury and Dignitas
The Scissor Sisters are no strangers to a comeback, but 2026 finds the glam-pop icons firing on all cylinders.
Fresh from their acclaimed reunion tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of their landmark debut album, Jake Shears, Babydaddy and Del Marquis returned to London’s BST Hyde Park yesterday (5 July) as special guests to one of the band’s biggest influences, Duran Duran. It’s a full-circle moment for a group whose breakthrough was helped by touring with the British pop legends back in 2004.
Speaking to Attitude backstage on Pride weekend, Shears reflected on reuniting with his bandmates, why being in a “loud, queer band” still feels defiantly subversive, the joy of welcoming Melanie C on stage, and why Scissor Sisters’ dream farewell involves Glastonbury.
Attitude: You’re sharing the bill with Duran Duran today. That must feel pretty special.
Jake Shears: It is. I’m not even sure if Scissor Sisters would be Scissor Sisters without Duran for multiple reasons, but one of the main reasons is they took us on tour. It was such a pivotal moment for us in 2004 that really helped break the band. It was the perfect audience for us to be playing for in that moment, and it just did incredible things for our career. We’ll always be forever grateful. It is [like a special reunion in a way]. I’ve been out with Duran solo as well, and I just love that. It feels like family.
Melanie C is making an appearance during your set. How did that come about?
Well, number one, she’s just such an incredible singer. I love her new music right now. She was DJing and I was just like, “What if…?” The stars aligned, she was down. We’ve almost crossed paths so many times. We both played the Avalon Stage at Glastonbury as solo artists, so it felt like something that had almost happened already. I’m glad it’s finally happening here in Hyde Park.
Happy Pride! Have you managed to celebrate at all or have you been in prep mode?
A little bit. We were playing with Pet Shop Boys up in Lytham, so I think that’s a pretty queer thing to do. I wished the crowd a Happy Pride. I don’t think they were having a Pride parade in Lytham, so we were the Pride parade.
This reunion has been a long time coming. What’s been the biggest highlight of coming back together as a band?
I think just playing the shows. Playing shows to great crowds, and with the line-up that we have now with Amber and Bridget, it’s just been a real revelation. It’s changed the nature of the band in a way. It’s changed the dynamic of the band in this really fresh way, and I think that’s been the most fun thing about it. It’s been about approaching it all from a different direction.
Does it feel different now being an openly queer band, especially at a time when things feel a bit uncertain for LGBTQ+ people in both the UK and the US?
It still feels subversive in some weird way. There are still shows where I’m like, “All right, we’re giving some proper queerdo to the masses” – some proper weirdo energy. There’s an element of it that still feels very subversive and sexy and proud. I couldn’t be happier to be in a loud, queer band at this moment in time. I still think we need it.
Looking ahead, is there something you’re still ambitious to do?
Someday, maybe in 15 or 20 years, it’d be really nice to do the Glastonbury Sunday Legends slot – the goodbye slot. Then we fly to Dignitas… a big queer farewell. That would be nice. But we definitely want to play Glastonbury before then as well.