Currently riding the wave of success from her Mercury-nominated album, Prioritize pleasure Rebecca Lucy Taylor (aka Self-esteem) name is on everyone’s lips. One of the hardest-working artists on the scene, the Sheffield-born singer-songwriter spent the better part of 2021 impressing on the live music and festival circuit. With a large number of sold-out dates, his current tour has been extended several times; luckily for us, we were there to see the opening night at Nottingham’s Rock City.
Self Esteem took the stage to faulty synths and lyrics about putting yourself first, dressed in a gray suit reminiscent of David Byrne‘s ‘American utopia’ tour – to the mighty ‘Prioritize pleasure’‘, before diving into crowd favorites ‘cursed sorcery’ and ‘Moody’. With each and every track receiving an enthusiastic response, it’s apparent just how much Rebecca’s lyrics resonate with people, from the cathartic lyrics of the searing ‘How can I help you’, that take aim at the misogynistic standards and objectification that women are subjected to, to the painfully honest lyrics of ‘I do this all the time’, that explore how complicated it is to be human.
Though Rebecca’s skill set doesn’t end with upbeat tracks and surging choruses, and some of the night’s most impressive moments are found on tracks of a slower nature, with both ‘Just kids’ and ‘John Elton’ seeing her express her vulnerable side by stepping into the spotlight at the front of the stage for both performances. While ‘Just kids’ complete with chills eliciting choral outbursts from his talented band, was his rendition of ‘John Elton’ in particular that it stunned the crowd into silence.
Always full of surprises, you never know what Rebecca has up her sleeve and the set featured the live debut of two new songs: ‘Mother’ and ‘Second love’. Offering a glimpse into what’s next for Self Esteem, the infectious tracks served as a reminder of Rebecca’s ambition and desire to continually experiment with her own sound, challenging herself in the process.
The main set came to a euphoric end with ‘The best’, the buoyant opening track of the debut album Self Esteem, compliments please – before the band kicked off the encore with the rumbling synths and dark beat of ‘I’m fine‘. Addressing the subject of consent, the track saw Rebecca nearly snarling as she vented her frustration and displayed the overwhelming element of unity and support that self-esteem programs offer.
Despite not having a huge budget, Rebecca has once again managed to bring a large-scale production to a small stage. Though her stage setup is minimalist, her creativity is reflected in the lighting, costume changes, and impeccable choreography: always complimenting her band and those behind the scenes, Rebecca is as humble as ever, taking time to say thank you. your team for working. her magic and making everything possible.
With an explosive opening show that was nothing short of triumphant and over twenty tour dates to go, we can conclude that it’s the world of Self Esteem and we’re just living in it.
