Self Esteem

Under the name Self Esteem, Rebecca Lucy Taylor has developed a solo project since the late 2010s that emerged after Slow Club — the duo she formed with Charles Watson in Sheffield in 2006 — went on hiatus. Born in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, Taylor initially established herself in indie-folk and pop-rock before steering Self Esteem toward a more direct experimental pop and art-pop approach, built around prominent rhythms, female backing vocals, spoken passages, clear melodies and arrangements that sometimes incorporate strings and choral textures. Launched with the single “Your Wife” in 2017, Self Esteem took shape across the albums Compliments Please (2019), Prioritise Pleasure (2021) and A Complicated Woman (2025). Her songwriting mixes everyday observation, relationships, sexuality and social pressures in a direct form that contrasts with often expansive productions. Alongside Self Esteem, she composes for theatre — notably Prima Facie — and has collaborated with artists such as Django Django, Craig Armstrong, Becky Hill and Moonchild Sanelly. On stage, Self Esteem moves between UK pop venues, festivals like Glastonbury and more institutional formats such as the BBC Proms.