Rebecca Lucy Taylor (a.ok.a Self Esteem) is curating a day on the 2025 London Literature Pageant. Discover all the main points beneath.
This 12 months’s occasion, which marks the 18th version, is scheduled to happen on the Southbank Centre within the capital between Tuesday October 21 and Sunday November 2.
The Rotherham singer-songwriter and actor will seem in dialog with writer, screenwriter and columnist Dolly Alderton. They’ll speak about Taylor’s literary debut guide, A Difficult Lady, out this autumn.
It shares its title with Self Esteem’s newest studio album, which was launched in April. The Mercury Prize-nominated musician is ready to debate her lyrics, songwriting course of and private experiences.
This shall be adopted by an evening of music and poetry alongside multi-disciplinary artists Tom Rasmussen, Marged, Travis Alabanza, Seraphina Simone, Pam Ayres, and extra to be introduced. Free occasions shall be held all through the Clore Ballroom on the day.
“I’m honoured to be curating at this 12 months’s London Literature Pageant,” stated Taylor in an announcement. “I’ve by no means actually believed there to be inflexible strains between songwriting, artwork, poetry and prose.”
She continued: “I’ve at all times longed to be free from style and labels, not simply in my very own work, but in addition within the artwork I’m drawn to. I would like all of it as a result of I’m grasping, and I’m not going to apologise for that.
“I’m so excited to discover this by means of my involvement with the London Literature Pageant, alongside a number of multidisciplinary artists I like and am impressed by.”
Mark Ball, Creative Director of the Southbank Centre, added: “The Southbank Centre is a spot the place tradition makers come to congregate, collaborate and create their finest work, and we’re delighted that Rebecca Lucy Taylor, a.ok.a Self Esteem will convey her extraordinary imaginative and prescient to the curation of occasions at this 12 months’s London Literature Pageant.
“A key spotlight within the capital’s cultural calendar, the London Literature Pageant guarantees one thing for everybody, bringing unbeatable cultural experiences to audiences with a line-up that spans writers on the forefront of worldwide literature – similar to Chris Kraus and Malala Yousafzai – by means of to occasions which provide a platform to these on the very begin of their careers.”
Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature & Spoken Phrase on the Southbank Centre, stated: “I’m thrilled to be collaborating with considered one of my favorite artists, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, a.ok.a Self Esteem. Rebecca is a masterful chronicler of what it’s to be a younger lady immediately; along with her unmistakably frank and humorous lyricism, Rebecca’s writing acts as a putting reminder of the galvanising energy of nice literature.”
“Proper throughout the competition programme, we have a good time a variety of extraordinary girls writers and cultural figures, from Sayaka Murata and Zadie Smith, to Reese Witherspoon launching an thrilling new collaboration with Harlan Coben,” he added.
“We’re proud to proceed our dedication to new and rising expertise, with our long-standing partnership with Inventive Future’s Writers’ Day, the annual Debut London Literature and New Poets Collective showcases, supporting the following era of writers and creators.”
Yow will discover extra details about ‘Self Esteem Presents’ on the London Literature Pageant, together with ticket data, right here. For Additional particulars on the broader 2025 programme, go to right here.
Final month noticed Self Esteem convey her theatrical ‘A Difficult Lady’ reside present to Glastonbury 2025.
In a roundup of the Park Stage slot, NME wrote: “From opening with an eerie nod to A Handmaid’s Story to getting the group transferring with tongue-in-cheek new single ‘69’, Self Esteem‘s set was much more ornate than you may anticipate at Glasto, and never one to be forgotten in a rush. When the Pyramid is prepared for Taylor, there’s little question she’ll be capable of fill it.”
In Could, Self Esteem received the Visionary Award at The Ivors 2025. “It means all the pieces,” she informed NME of the honour on the ceremony.
Taylor added: “To not begin occurring about girls like I at all times do, however folks don’t suppose girls write songs. It nonetheless will get questioned. Individuals suppose I’ve obtained writers’ camps and all these items.
“No judgement for those who do this, however it’s the artwork and I take ages over it. It ruins my life and all I do is attempt to create that artwork. I have to.” You possibly can watch the total interview within the video above.
