“A dazzlingly life-affirming return”: Self Esteem ushers in new era with latest single ‘Focus Is Power’
After years of boundary-pushing tracks that have been thunderously well received, Rebecca Lucy Taylor has matured to reach the brink of yet another promising new era. Self Esteem is making a dazzlingly life-affirming return. And ‘deserve to be here’ she does.
Photography by Scarlett Carlos Clarke
Finding focus and optimism amidst setback and dejection can be complicated. But Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) is proving it’s possible on her latest single, whose jubilant choruses showcase the artist’s unwavering strength— and the transformative power it holds.
Oozing with unapologetic confidence and life-affirming incantations, the new single marks the first release from her upcoming album A Complicated Woman. Announced earlier this week along with the drop of the single, the singer’s eagerly anticipated third album is due for release on 25 April and will document Taylor taking control of her life, through lenses ranging from spoken word, to euphoric ‘football chant’ anthems, and all the way through to punchy club bangers like 69.
This week’s single, Focus Is Power, offers a glimpse into the anthemic sound that will feature on the album, dressed in gospel-infused sounds and infectious lyrics that one might find etched in a diary as affirmations.
“I’ve struggled a lot with feelings of giving up. The world is getting harder unless you’re *that* specific kind of person,” Taylor spoke. “I feel more and more dejected as logic repeatedly shows me that this is a losing game.”
“So where does that leave us? Focus Is Power is about just that.”
Like previous songs on Taylor’s records, which have been long lauded for their enticing honesty, the song bears its roots in the Rotherham singer’s past, drawing inspiration from words she wrote on a sticker while working from her parents’ shed during the pandemic. The words take flight into a tremendous jubilation on the record, with soaring vocals from a choir constructed of dozens and dozens of mostly female voices: “a community of people”.
“I want you to hear and feel the connection,” Taylor explains. The passion and camaraderie is, indeed, beautifully palpable. Formed of close friends, long-term band members, and collaborators, the choir that features on the artist’s latest release and the rest of the album is just one ingredient of the collaborative approach that will underly A Complicated Woman. Featured among the tracklist are collaborations with singer-songwriters Nadine Shah, Moonchild Sanelly and Sue Tompkins from Life Without Buildings. Other collaborators include Lancaster actress Julie Hesmondhalgh and Taylor’s personal hero, drag queen Meatball.
Released alongside the single was an accompanying video reminiscent of George Michael’s 1991 Freedom ‘90 performance on MTV’s tenth Anniversary Special. Shot by long-term collaborator Piers Dennis, the music video echoes the same sense of togetherness that is gloriously evident in the single, shot in a community hall and showcasing the singer alongside vocalists and instrumentalists performing in a tight-knit circle.
The result of the chorus-backed sound is incredibly promising. But what stands out the most throughout the track are the affirmation-like lyrics. “And every time I fall / I crawl back like an animal (An animal) / My focus is powerful”. And Self Esteem is proving just how powerful her focus can be. In line with her past releases, the singer’s unfaltering power shines through, with wisdom-filled lyrics that carry infectious empowerment.
“If you have focus, you have power. The power to change, learn, educate, fight. Even if it’s just in the tiniest way. Find the small pockets of defiance, focus, and keep existing,” she spoke in a press release.
While it’s bleeding positivity, the track never draws close to superficiality. Within optimistic resolutions are lyrics that expose struggles and the conflicting demands that make female existence complicated.
“Take it in our stride / Laugh it off, take it on the chin just right / Don’t be too loud or too quiet.”
Their presence draws similarities to Taylor’s BRIT and Mercury Prize-nominated album, Prioritise Pleasure, whose refreshing explorations of institutional sexism, harassment and patriarchal pressures saw Self Esteem pave the way for a musical revolution. In a similar way, A Complicated Woman will contain Taylor’s musical thumbprints— exposing the feelings women are required to labour under, yet setting them within “a larger, brighter landscape that is nothing short of exhilarating”.
As the song draws to a close, Taylor and her choir’s repeated mantras continue to ring out: “And now I see it clear / With every passing of each year / I deserve to be here”. After years of boundary-pushing tracks— that have been thunderously well received— Rebecca Lucy Taylor has matured to reach the brink of yet another promising new era. Self Esteem is making a dazzlingly life-affirming return. And deserve to be here she does.
A Complicated Woman is due for release on 25 April in digital, CD, cassette and vinyl formats - including limited editions - via Polydor Records. Pre-order or pre-save the album now.