Shirley Manson tells Metro about her unwavering fight for justice (Picture: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage)
Shirley Manson has spent the last 30 years being an outspoken member of the music community, but she’s urging more people to take up her rallying cry.
It’s hard to imagine Garbage without instantly thinking of the iconic frontwoman, with her penchant for bold makeup and daring outfits.
After breaking through in the 90s, Shirley admits she’s baffled as to why the band — with Duke Erikson, Steve Marker, and Butch Vig — is still resonating so strongly with fans.
‘I don’t really know why we still have a career,’ she laughed while speaking to Metro ahead of Garbage’s Royal Albert Hall gig with our partners the Teenage Cancer Trust’s 2026 concert series. ‘But I’m very grateful for it.’
The 90s legends will be performing in March as part of the series curated by The Cure’s Robert Smith.
The Stupid Girl singer, 59, credited the younger generation with keeping Garbage relevant by ‘tolerating’ the music, but those lyrics rallying against the system might just be resonating more as the years go on.
Garbage are set to perform for Teenage Cancer Trust’s concert series
Shirley explained: ‘Artists are essential because they exist within this system [but] they’re answerable to no one, and so they’re free in ways that are threatening to the status quo.
‘That’s why they’re vital. That’s why we need them, because they say things that are not allowed or are feared within the system.
‘They can criticise power and the abuse of power. They can hold a mirror to society and say, “Look, this is what we’re seeing. Are you happy with this?”‘
At the time, she was reflecting on the growing ‘swell’ of politically aware rising stars, somewhat downplaying her own impact in shaping that movement.
Supporting causes she believes in has always been second nature to Shirley, crediting her late father’s dedication to community as her inspiration.
‘I don’t do it because I’m a saint,’ she shared. ‘I also get so much out of it. It brings me so much joy. It makes me feel safer, it makes me feel happier, it makes me feel more fulfilled.’
Shirley is fearlessly outspoken for causes close to her heart (Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
‘Artists are vital to criticise those in power’ (Picture: Gie Knaeps/Getty Images)
While she might not be afraid to speak up, she’s never going to push or chastise other celebrities for not doing the same.
‘Not everybody has that [confidence] and a lot of people are much more introverted, perhaps than I am,’ Shirley reasoned. ‘Perhaps they’re not as eloquent.’
Reflecting on the recent political unrest in Minnesota, which resulted in the death of Alex Pretti, she admitted she was ‘frustrated’ that others hadn’t been more outspoken.
Her generous personality shone through as she added: ‘[But] I don’t know their particular personal circumstances. I’m uninterested in bullying someone into speaking up.
‘I am very proud to be part of a community of people who have chosen to speak out, even at their own peril. I am uninterested in those, perhaps, who are perhaps more just wanting to toe the party line.’
Garbage has never changed its lineup with Shirley performing with Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and Butch Vig since 1995 (Picture: Paul Bergen/Redferns)
Even though Shirley is known for her activism, consistently speaking on difficult subjects has been to her own detriment at times.
‘It’s caused a lot of problems for me in my life. However, I was brought up to believe that you must speak out where you see injustice. That’s just how I was raised.’
She credits her altruism to her compassionate upbringing in Scotland, with her father often taking her to sing at nursing homes and to children in hospital wards.
That particular part of her childhood has come full circle as Garbage is set to perform at the Royal Albert Hall on March 28 as part of Teenage Cancer Trust’s concert series.
‘I’ve had first-hand experience with teenage cancer [through a friend], and I understand how forgotten the teens are in the worldwide battle against cancer,’ she said.
Teens are the ‘forgotten sufferers’ as their needs are so ‘specific and complex’, undergoing treatment while navigating all the difficulties that come with development.
Robert Smith of The Cure is this year’s ‘Cureator’ (Picture: Teenage Cancer Trust)
Teenage Cancer Trust 2026 concerts
For the 2026 concert series, Teenage Cancer Trust recruited the legendary Robert Smith, frontman for The Cure.
The shows run from Monday, March 23 to Sunday, March 29, all at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Tickets are on sale now through the venue’s website.
Monday, March 23: Elbow + MRCY
Tuesday, March 24: Robert Smith’s Comedy Favourites – Jack Dee, Maisie Adam, Bridget Christie, Stewart Lee, Dara Ó Briain and more
Wednesday, March 25: Mogwai + Craven Faults and Annika Kilkenny
Thursday, March 26: Manic Street Preachers + The Joy Formidable (the 150th TCT show)
Friday, March 27: My Bloody Valentine + Chvrches (stripped back)
Saturday, March 28: Garbage + Placebo (stripped back)
Sunday, March 29: Wolf Alice + Nilüfer Yanya
She said: ‘They need support in ways perhaps that not everybody else who’s fighting the good fight does. So this feels very urgent to me, very pressing, and I’m very thrilled that me and my gorgeous band are able to come and support this initiative. We’re very proud.’
Despite her intimidating reputation, Shirley is intensely honest, warm and even a little self-depricating as she admits she’s absolutely star-struck when it comes to The Cure’s Robert Smith, who curated the concert series.
‘He’s one of the few of our heroes that we haven’t met,’ she said, joking that sounds ‘arrogant and vile’ — we just think it’s a humble brag that Garbage has absolutely earned.
Calling Robert ‘the dream’, the seemingly unwavering frontwoman confessed she ‘felt quite lightheaded’ when that email asking them to perform landed in her inbox.
‘I literally nearly swooned,’ Shirley laughed, revealing that despite three decades of performing, they’ve never bumped into The Cure before.
Garbage has cited the new wave pioneers as a huge inspiration for their music, and Shirley admitted she just ‘crushed so hard’ on Robert.
‘Is there a man more beautiful than Robert Smith?’ (Picture: Jason Squires/FilmMagic)
We want to be Shirley when we grow up (Picture: Naomi Rahim/Getty Images)
Her giddy excitement is palpable, even with her video off, as she gushed: ‘I loved him so hard, crushed on him, really, seriously, obsessively, mercifully, not dangerously. But, I mean, was there a more beautiful man than Robert Smith?
‘I love everything he stands for. I love how wild he presents now. I love that there’s been no concession to being boring and conservative. I love that he still smears makeup on his face, wilds his hair, and makes no concessions to being polite.
‘He’s just an amazingly authentic person. I mean, I want to be Robert Smith when I grow up.’
She might have dreams of being the Just Like Heaven icon, but personally, we want to be Shirley.
Tickets for Garbage’s concert, as well as the other Teenage Cancer Trust Royal Albert Hall shows are available now.
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