“I know it’s a Sunday night, but can I interest you in popping off?” questions Rebecca Lucy Taylor on the opening night of her new Prioritise Pleasure tour, and, after postponing this show twice, the Newcastle crowd are hungry to revel in the barks, drumming and grace of the now unstoppable Self Esteem, in fact, they demand it.
A celebration of excess, being too much and, apparently, too good, Taylor emerges ethereal and god-like, commanding the electronic reverb beat of ‘I’m Fine’, the opening song of her lauded album, and now her sell-out tour. Surrounded by three backup singers/dancers/genuine friends, the show is a force of empowerment and honesty, where female support and friendship form the backboard of the entire set. In never being alone on stage, constantly surrounded by other women, even the saddest lyrical moments were empowered: “do you understand the pain you cause/ when you see a body just for sport” is reinforced with backup and self-awareness. Never lonesome, always surrounded by love, and so she can get through anything. With the audience waiting on every word, Taylor takes us through every emotion.
The sheer pop of it all is exorbitant and gleaming, with perfected choreography and a vocal performance that rivals that of the recorded version. The titular track ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ translates to the stage forcefully, modelling the iconic uncouth side to Taylor’s lyricism “shave my pussy, unfollow you”, which is then quickly followed by the hilarious and targeted opening of ‘Moody’: “sexting you at the mental health talk seems counterproductive”. The audience is crammed in, but willingly; everyone wants to see Taylor having the time of her life. The cheers progressively louden and giggles break out every so often for the joy the collective feels as if every moment spent enjoying her music has led to this moment under the disco ball.
There are moments of reprieve, with Taylor stripping back ‘Just Friends’ and ‘Still Reigning’, but nothing can compare to the relentlessness of the upbeat tunes. Self Esteem combines old school star power and sex-positivity to create a pop star you could have a healthy friendship with. Ever pop, ever experimental, with the seismic quality of Gaga and candour of Lily Allen, it’s evident that upwards is the only option.
Momentarily lapsing into punk with ‘How Can I Help You’, the dancing falls away into the bopping of heads, as Taylor puts her body weight behind the banging of a drum. We’re indulged in the bangers of Self Esteem’s first album, however, the apex of the night goes to the indisputable ‘I Do This All The Time’. The relatability of the spoken word verses echoes through Wylam Brewery as the majority of the audience recites the words back to Taylor, forming a truthful mantra for our lived experience. As she sings: “…I want the best for you but I also hope you fail without me/ It was really fucking miserable trying to love you” and the song crescendos into a build-up of euphoric strings, the song becomes anthemic. The girls beside me have their arms raised in the air, speedily recovering from spitting the words out to revel in the glory of true enlightenment. This song will live on forever, and I will never forget the shared experience of seeing it live, sung from the hearts of every woman here.
Self Esteem is everything we need right now and her show is emblematic of all the truth and joy she creates. It feels so good to root for a pop star again.
Words by Evie Lake
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