Away from the Pyramid Stage headliners and countless surprise sets, one Glastonbury 2025 act called my name more than any other.
That performer was Self Esteem, a Mercury Prize-nominated artist whose album A Complicated Woman has become daily listening for me since its release in January.
With over 260,000 monthly Spotify listeners, she is hardly an unknown artist but, if that Park Stage crowd was anything to go by, she’s definitely underrated.
To those in the know, Self Esteem — real name Rebecca Lucy Taylor — is one of the most dynamic and mesmerising performers out there, it’s no surprise her tour was completely sold out.
Her performance at the O2 Academy in Brixton was more than a gig, it was a theatrical exploration into reclaiming your identity and joy.
Early on in the show, she cheekily warns any men in the crowd who have been brought by their girlfriends that they must dance as she won’t tolerate anyone standing like sardines.
It’s shocking anyone might be able to resist moving when the music starts, as she gives an all-singing, all-dancing, West End musical-worthy performance for the next hour and a half.
After a steady, intentional start with I Do and I Don’t Care’s powerful monologue, Self Esteem immediately hits the crowd with dance tunes Mother, Lies and 69, all in a row.
Rebecca’s theatre background is on full display here, with dramatic lighting making the military precision of the dancing even more impressive.
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Despite three albums under her belt, the setlist sticks to the heavy hitters of her latest two Prioritise Pleasure and follow-up A Complicated Woman, which blend together effortlessly for a cohesive gig.
Topics of patriarchal struggles, feminine rage, and sex appeal make for an emotional whirlwind, anchored by Self Esteem’s incredible vocals.
Her jarring use of costumes fit for a production of The Cruicible against the backdrop of her most explicit song proved to me this is art with something to say.
Not only is she saying something, the gig begins with donation requests for charities Schools Consent Project and Choose Love. This is more than words or promises.
Self Esteem’s use of choral voices elevates this from just another solo artist into a performance like no other, encouraging the crowd to harmonise all around you.
Her backing vocalists — Levi, Marged, Seraphina, Samuel, Michelle
Deanna, Sophie and Adeola — are all given their own chances to shine and at some points even outshine Rebecca with their dizzying belted notes.
She’s tapped into something almost primal with tracks like Prioritise Pleasure and In Plain Sight that force you to move, to sing, to just engage with the music.
It’s impossible to put into words just how much fun this concert was, despite the often heavy topics Self Esteem tackles.
She stands on stage, solo in a spotlight, and sings ‘It’s always been you/But I really cut the cord this time’, while a trumpet — played by Deanna — blasts a melancholic tune.
And yet, she’s eating a banana during the track and throws the peel into the crowd as eager hands go to catch it.
Or in fan favourite Cheers to Me, a celebration of independence, where she explodes into dance with two inflatable tube men next to her.
This song was a real highlight of the gig, it’s an explosion of colour and confetti as the final track before the very real and not at all orchestrated encore.
Here, Rebecca is at her best, just having an absolute blast as she dances around the stage, still note perfect, with her strong vocals piercing through the chaos around her.
Closing the show on Focus is Power, Self Esteem manages to turn the energy up even more with the song feeling anthemic.
It seems sappy or hyperbolic to say, but I left feeling more confident in myself and genuinely uplifted in a way that went beyond just post-gig enthusiasm.
Who needs therapy when you have Self Esteem?
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