Vocalist Lorraine Lewis Exits Vixen

Are you even a legacy metal band if you haven’t been through a half-dozen lead vocalists? There have been very few bands that have kept their entire lineup since day one, but bands in other genres seem to be largely dependent on the vocalist to the point where they break up if the vocalist leaves. Meanwhile, long-running metal acts seem happy to change vocalists faster than most people change socks. What is Skid Row on at this point, their seventh lead vocalist? Well, long-running femme glam metal group Vixen proved that they’re up there with the greats as they just said goodbye to vocalist number four, Lorraine Lewis.

Lewis announced her departure yesterday on her Instagram, saying the following:

“Vixen Tribe and devoted fans: The band has taken a different direction, and as much as I will miss you please know that more Rock & Roll from me is on the way! It has been an honor to front the band since that first show in 2019 & I am forever grateful for the opportunity and memories that came with it! I’ve had the time of my life and have loved rockin’ with ALL of you! I can’t wait to rock your faces off again soon cuz trust me babes, I’m not going anywhere!! I love you, Lorraine.”

Lorraine Lewis was recruited in 2019 after the third departure of Vixen’s longest-running singer, Janet Gardner. Lewis came from the band Femme Fatale who played similar music to Vixen and came up in the same era, and her addition to Vixen basically spelled the end of Femme Fatale. Vixen only put out one single with Lewis, the song “Red” which they put out last year.

What exactly Lewis has planned next remains a mystery. Vixen, on the other hand, retains only one member of their core lineup at this point—Roxy Petrucci—following the departure of bassist Share Ross in 2022. So, unless their new vocalist is Janet Gardner again, it’d be hard to keep calling the band Vixen.