FEATURE:
After the Compliments, Pleasure, and First Impression…
IN THIS PHOTO: Self Esteem at the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin, February 2023/PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen White/TLMT
What Next for the Amazing Self Esteem?
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ONE of our absolutely finest artists…
IMAGE CREDIT: Self Esteem
the past few years have been so impactful and successful for the wonderful Self Esteem. The moniker of Rebecca Lucy Taylor, the former Slow Club member is a solo artist with no peers. She occupies a space that is entirely her own. Her 2019 debut album, Compliments Please, was one that gained huge critical acclaim. She was being marked out as a unique, incredibly powerful, and personal songwriter whose music resonated and dug deep. I thought that this album should have been nominated for a Mercury Prize. Even though it lost out to Little Simz’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert last year, her second studio album, Prioritise Pleasure, is considered her masterpiece. Released in October 2021, it was undeniably the best album of that year in my view. I want to predict and prophesise in a minute. I will stay with the incredible Prioritise Pleasure for a bit. I will come to a review of that album, before mentioning a soundtrack that took her talent and sound in a new direction. In August 2021, NME featured Self Esteem. It was fascinating knowing more about Rebecca Lucy Taylor and her objectives when it came to Prioritise Pleasure. The messages that go into the songs. This was someone who came from a successful duo where she may have felt held back or inauthentic at times. Now, as a solo artist releasing her second studio album, she had broken free. This sense of liberation and authenticity coming through in her songs:
“Taylor formed Slow Club in Sheffield in 2006 with fellow instrumentalist Charles Watson. After just over a decade together, the duo parted ways. Though she remains proud of the songs she and Watson wrote together – and is clear she doesn’t blame anybody for making her feel this way – Taylor began to feel suffocated by a sense of duty to the band. “The amount of songs I had that couldn’t go through the Slow Club lens – that then had to just disappear – was quite debilitating artistically,” she says.
Though Taylor doesn’t dwell on her sexuality (“my Wikipedia page says that I’m bisexual, and I’m like, ‘Wow – that’s news?”), going solo has proved freeing in certain ways. Looking back, she recognises the “inherent masculinity” and straightness of the indie scene Slow Club moved in.
PHOTO CREDIT: Eva Pentel
“We had Amelie, Zooey Deschanel, and Bright Eyes… I mean, I fucking love Bright Eyes but there would always be the one pretty girl who would come and sing with them,” she despairs. “Now that whole aesthetic makes me ill and I just can’t bear it. Realising my sexuality wasn’t a massive deal, but it did make me feel odd about what I presented to an audience, and having to sing songs that couldn’t represent just my feelings was just very restrictive.”
She says that breaking away to do her own thing has been “the greatest joy”, adding: “Everything about that world was like, ‘Ooh – we just happen to be playing our songs quietly, don’t look at me, don’t make any sort of spectacle out of me; I’m just sort of accidentally talented. That’s something I never enjoyed about it. I want to put on a show – I want it to be too much!
“As a little girl this is what my life was like. I used to just write plays and do dances. I had this character called the Babylon Sorceress – she had this long purple dress with big sleeves and red hair. A very Florence [and The Machine] vibe actually. I told Florence about her. She was this misunderstood sorceress that was very cool, and I was very enamoured. All my female leads were very isolated and alone, and now look! My life was this Freddie Mercury fucking show. For a decade of my life, that was the worst thing about me. Now, to celebrate it is just hilarious.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Eva Pentel
These days, channelling the singular spirit of the Babylon Sorceress, Self Esteem certainly puts on a show. As an artist she wilfully embraces the ridiculous, and also the ridiculously fun: when she’s not whirling around the stage dressed in a dress made out of Boots advantage cards, she’s paying homage to Madonna’s Blonde Ambition tour by performing intricate choreo in a shoulder-padded suit and lacy lingerie.
When we speak today, Taylor is taking a break from rehearsing the “dramatic entrance” segment of her Green Man show. “For the whole of this ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ era, the Blonde Ambition tour is the blueprint,” she explains, expanding on what she’ll be bringing to the stage. “There will never be anything more perfect to me than mixing lingerie with menswear, and what that represents and makes me feel like.” Pulling together an arena-level pop show fit for a mountainous Welsh festival has been tiring, but, she says: “It pays off. People love the gigs; they’re amazing, it’s an experience. I work hard now in a way I’ve always wanted to work. I’m knackered now at the end of a gig and it feels amazing”.
And, true to its title, ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ as a whole is an album that champions putting yourself first – even if it makes certain people uncomfortable. “I’ve done years of therapy, done plenty of work on myself, and read every fucking book you can fucking read about it, and it comes back down to true self-acceptance and self-love,” Taylor says. “It’s the answer to everything, but it’s still something that you’re meant to not do. I go down this road a lot, and I get quite upset. But then I think, no – just keep in my little part of the world, my group, accepting myself, loving myself, and then make my little silly songs and do my little silly dances. And if someone can learn from that and pass it forward, at least I’m doing something?”.
There is no pressure or anything but, like Madonna, Self Esteem released a terrific debut, and then hit extraordinary heights on her second. In fact, if we want to make Madge comparisons, perhaps Compliments Please was a Like a Virgin/True Blue album where there was this promise and step up, whereas Prioritise Pleasure is a combination of Like a Prayer, Erotica and Ray of Light. It seems like there is this growing confidence. The songwriting brilliance increasing and expanding. Self Esteem’s second studio album will go down as one of the best albums of the 2020s. Even if it was scandalously overlooked when it came to awards, it is an undeniable work of genius. This is what The Line of Best Fit wrote when they gave it a perfect ten:
“It’s in this pursuit of pleasure that Taylor snatches the opportunity to embrace emotion in abundance. “Don’t be embarrassed that all you’ve had is fun” she preaches on gripping centrepiece “I Do This All The Time”, her vocals backed by a choir. The inclusion of these choral outbursts throughout the album help to reinstate Taylor’s messages of unity, with the sea of vocals welcoming washes of sonic euphoria.
The thunderous outcries of “How Can I Help You'' convey a retaliation against societal norms and the unrelenting standards that women are expected to yield to. “But I don’t know shit, do I?” she snarls, supported by tribal rhythms and a cavernous bass drum beat that simply demands you realise your own self worth. Similarly across the title track, Taylor’s rhythmic flourishes allow the powerful chorus to explode into the importance of prioritising yourself. Elsewhere, “Moody” - a highlight of the record - not only contains a funk-pop pre-chorus that’ll make Dua Lipa green with envy but also the wickedly witty line “Sexting you at the mental health talk seems counterproductive”.
In between those intense flashes of emotion though, Prioritise Pleasure also makes space for contemplation and quiet vulnerability. In “Still Reigning” for example, we see her step back from the flag-waving hedonist into a more empathic, nurturing role. “The love you need is gentle, the love you need is kind” she muses, like a warm hug from the big sister you never had. Although perhaps the most stark and goosebump inducing moment on the record is during opener “I’m Fine”. In a spoken word snippet taken from a National Youth Theatre workshop on the topic of consent, we hear an unnamed woman recount that “There is nothing that terrifies a man more than a woman who appears completely deranged” - a bleak reminder of the fear of male violence shared by countless women and the normalisation of it in our society.
Commanding, assertive, and powerful, Prioritise Pleasure is everything pop music should be. Wholly unafraid to tackle difficult subjects with ease, in Rebecca Taylor we also have the makings of a serious pop behemoth”.
Released in June of last year, the soundtrack for Prima Facie was lauded and proved just how consistent and versatile Rebecca Lucy Taylor is. Released as Self Esteem rather than Rebecca Lucy Taylor, I guess this was so that people could identify with the music more. Perhaps this was seen as a continuation and extension of Prioritise Pleasure. Prima Facie is a one-woman play written by Suzie Miller. It revolves around Tessa, a criminal defence barrister, whose view of the legal system changes after she is sexually assaulted. Nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards, it saw wins for Best New Play and Best Actress for its star, Jodie Comer. A tough subject matter – where a woman who defends men accused of sexual assault is then sexually assaulted herself – that translated into an incredibly powerful play, Self Esteem’s soundtrack is remarkable. A different discipline and way of working, one is instantly intrigued by song titles. It is an album that was congratulated for its evocative nature and heartbreaking potency. This is what Northern Transmissions wrote in their review:
“On the first of many instantly relatable songs Rebecca Lucy Taylor wrote for her second album, Prioritise Pleasure, she sings: “No, not me / I won’t rein in my need to be completely free.” At the end of Prima Facie, the soundtrack for the play she composed herself, the lines are reprised in the bubbling, eventually glorious “1 in 3 (I’m Fine),” capping off yet another meaningful, well-crafted endeavor from the emotionally omnipresent Self Esteem.
Starring Jodie Comer, Prima Facie ran in London from April 15th to June 18th, before being picked up by Broadway to premiere in 2023. The one-woman show sees Comer playing Tessa, a young lawyer who eventually faces an assault by a colleague in an emotionally demanding performance. Enlisting Self Esteem, whose previous albums are filled with raw, human emotion, seemed like the only choice for the composition.
The hodge-podge (in a good way) production style present on Compliments Please is brought back here, particularly on tracks like “Cross Examination” where hand-claps reign, “Chambers,” filled with breaths, the dog-like pants on “Day Through,” or the largely a capella “The Process.” Even the pitched-down vocal effect on her debut album’s “On The Edge Of Another One” makes a reappearance on “Perfect 2 Me” and its reprise.
Some tracks rely on subtle unsettledness, whereas the bass on tracks such as “How Dare You” wobble around her voice, increasing in intensity. “The Winner,” too, starts slow and expands into a harsh wall of sound and vocal chops, similar to her previous singles “Prioritise Pleasure” and “Moody.”
Of course, because it is a soundtrack — to a play instead of a movie, no less — there isn’t much to hold onto; not many hooky melodies or insightful lyrics present on her previous albums. “Perfect 2 Me,” though, a guitar-tinged love song, features the clever lyricism she’s known for. “I am honored by these moments / When the makeup leaves no trace,” she wrote, over the welcome breezy beat surrounded by other intense songs. “To See From Here,” also, explores a lightness with its hopeful piano notes.
It’s a treat to see the emotions written about so cleverly on her studio albums translate to a soundtrack to a bigger, more dynamic performance in theater. If anything, it suggests that Taylor’s plans for how music can sound and take shape is much bigger than anything we — or many other recording artists — imagine”.
A lot has happened since the release of Prioritise Pleasure. I am sure many songs have been written for the third album. The I Tour This All The Time tour supported her album, and it was met with ecstatic crowds and impassioned reviews. Proving she is one of the finest live performers of her generation, the shows were the stuff of legend. There were extra dates added to the tour, and Self Esteem’s magnificent sets earned more than a few five-star reviews! This year sees Rebecca Lucy Taylor and crew perform at a number of U.K. festivals, including Neighbourhood Weekender, Bristol Sounds, Standon Calling, Parklife and Truck, and will support Blur at their Wembley Stadium gigs in July. If that were not enough, in February, Django Django released Complete Me, which featured vocals from Self Esteem. Taylor also contributed a cover of Black Eyed Dog for a Nick Drake covers compilation album, The Endless Coloured Way, which is due to be released in July. That support slot for Blur will be immense. I think the most exciting dates of the summer will be at festivals like Standon Calling. It is a moment when Self Esteem is adored by the masses and, in Rebecca Lucy Taylor, this is someone influencing so many artists and women coming through. I have not quoted any of the live reviews from last year and this, but they are all so emphatically positive and full of admiration.
Apologies to compare her again to Madonna – though I am sure she will not mind! -, but this is a big year for the Queen of Pop, as she is touring the world and working on new material. I feel that there are things Madonna has done that could be something which will enter into Self Esteem’s world. A second book from Rebecca Lucy Taylor is coming. Available for pre-order, it was explore the devolution of a woman. This is a book that you will want to own! I also think there are other books and ideas in this area. A photobook would be cool. I am not suggesting something like Madonna’s 1992 book, Sex, but something that shows Rebecca Lucy Taylor at home and behind the scenes, but we also get to see the highs and whirlwind life of Self Esteem. Shots of her with the band. I can see that happening. I know there will be a third studio album, but what direction will it take? In terms of sound, I would imagine something similar to Prioritise Pleasure. Maybe more elements of Electronica and Disco. Or maybe there will be something Chill-Out or, again, Madonna-esque. Perhaps some ‘80s Pop influences alongside something grittier and Rock. It will be fascinating to discover! Lyrically, there have been changes and transitions in the last year or two.
PHOTO CREDIT: Olivia Richardson
New success has come the way of Rebecca Lucy Taylor. Still grounded and herself, she cannot help but notice how the world has embraced her. I am not sure whether there is a partner in her life, but you feel like a third album will be as arresting, open and filled with emotion as her first two. Funny and heartbreaking at times, there will also be plenty of invention, power, and nuance coming from every song. Rebecca Lucy Taylor co-produced the Prima Facie soundtrack with Jockstrap’s Taylor Skye. I think that her third studio album, perhaps, will be a sole-produce. Rebecca Lucy Taylor taking the reigns and crafting this album completely in her vision. Maybe she will want to work with other producers, but I can also see her taking production duties herself. I have always said how Taylor would make a tremendous actor. In fact, she appeared in series two of I Hate Suzie (starring Billie Piper as the title character) in 2022. She will also be appearing in a new comedy, Smothered, to be aired later in the year. I feel like she could also get film roles. Someone with incredible performance skills, I can see Rebecca Lucy Taylor appearing in a range of flicks.
Having written the soundtrack for Prima Facie, I also see her acting in a play like that. She would be a very powerful stage actor! It would be something everyone would love to see. As Self Esteem, there are gigs and will be ne material, but I also predict some huge collaborations. It would be great to see her work properly awarded. The likes of the Mercury Prize and NME nominated Prioritise Pleasure for awards. Missing out, I know awards are not everything, but this is an album that more than deserved one! The Rotherham-born colossus and renaissance woman is going to have such a busy and successful future. Having achieved so much as Self Esteem and Rebecca Lucy Taylor, I can see so much gold ahead. It would be great for there to be a huge U.S. tour for Self Esteem. Dates in Australia and around the world. Documentaries and new interview. Perhaps a remix album of Prioritise Pleasure, and Self Esteem/Rebecca Lucy Taylor producing for other artists. When it comes to his inspiring queen, it very much seems like…
SKY’S the limit!