Skinner nevertheless retained his passion for music alongside his spiritual vocation and at age 30 began writing what became his first studio album, Under Southern Stars, recorded in Australia with the encouragement of a personal friend.
[2] In a 2013 profile published in the New Zealand edition of The Australian Women's Weekly, Skinner recalled how the Church held "initial misgivings" regarding his forays into the music world, with concerns as to whether he was "taking the priesthood seriously".
[3][4] In 2004, New Zealand entertainer and promoter Gray Bartlett highlighted Skinner as a "world quality" performer of inspirational music, praising his distinct "pop-folk" style and comparing the Marist priest's rendition of Secret Garden's "You Raise Me Up" favorably to that of American singer-songwriter Josh Groban.
[1] In February 2013 Skinner performed at the Mission Estate Winery Concert in Hawke's Bay as one of the opening acts for headliners Barry Gibb and Carole King.
In November 2014, then Governor General of New Zealand Sir Jerry Mateparae invited Skinner to sing "Sons of Gallipoli" to a gathering of veterans at an Armistice Day dinner at Government House, Wellington.