Anne Serres is a Paris-born wine journalist and educator with a penchant for all things rock, who lists Dave Grohl, Linda Ronstadt, Freddie Mercury and Florence Welch among her musical heroes.
For a second year in a row the wine trade supergroup Skin Côntact will be taking to the stage next month in an effort raise aid as part of Comic Relief.
Skin Côntact LIVE AGAIN! is taking place on Thursday 12 May 2016 at the O2 Academy, Islington. Skin Côntact LIVE! is sponsored by Côtes du Rhône wines, whose partnership has made it possible to stage this event and allow 100% of the proceeds to go to charity.
All in aid of a good cause 'The Band' including Richard Hemming - he of Jancis Robinson fame; Alex Hunt MW of Berkmann, Matt James of Bordeaux Cellar and Ben Smith of CyT will be performing along with a number of other personalities and talents from across the wine trade.
A series of guest stars will be on hand to wow spectators and Anne Serres, one of the three winners of the 'Sing With Skin Côntact' competition, will be up on stage.
Serres is a Paris-born wine journalist and educator with a penchant for all things rock, who lists Dave Grohl, Linda Ronstadt, Freddie Mercury and Florence Welch among her musical heroes. She was last seen on stage in front of 200 people on stage in a village hall in rural France. If you say you can remember it, you weren't really there.
The Islington Academy stage has hosted Beck, Muse, Eminem - and now you! But who are your musical heroes?
Dave Grohl. Then Johannes Sebastian Bach and Johnny Clegg, Linda Ronstad, James Maynard Keenan, Freddie Mercury and Brian May, Eddie Vedder and Florence Welch. I'll stop there!
What's the largest audience you've sung in front of?
200 people. Once in my hometown of Saint Paul de Fenouillet (see below) and a few times with my music school in Montpellier.
And how would you like to be introduced on stage?
I am a wine journalist and educator, with a focus on Languedoc-Roussillon. I was born in Paris, and am now moving from Montpellier to London. I met my British winemaker fiancé at a wine-tasting in Saint-Chinian.
What are you listening to a lot at the moment?
Queen and Sting at the moment. And the Foo Fighters, always.
And what was the most memorable live musical performance you've ever seen?
Wow... Just one? PJ Harvey is possibly the rock'n'roll person that most impressed me. But then I got to see Metallica in Les Arènes de Nîmes, WITH Robert Trujillo (I sort of got stuck in the 90s and I am a bit of a metal head with a funky twist).
Quickfire round!
Côte-Rôtie or Gigondas?
Gigondas. I am a Grenache person.
Adele or Madonna?
Madonna. The first record I bought was True Blue.
Viognier or Marsanne/Roussanne?
Marsanne/Roussanne.
The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
The Rolling Stones.
And finally, what's your most embarrassing musical secret?
My brother still has a video of me singing U2 on stage, very out of tune, in a village ball room in our hometown of Saint Paul de Fenouillet with the future French singer Cali (it was back in the mid-90s). I have turned the family house upside down. My brother keeps promising it will only resurface at my wedding.