Self Esteem (real name Rebecca Lucy Taylor) has been chosen to curate a day at the 2025 London Literature Festival at London’s Southbank Centre.
This years event will mark the 18th edition of the festival and is scheduled to take place between October 21 and November 2.
The Rotherham-born singer-songwriter will take over the festival on Saturday November 1 for ‘Self Esteem Presents’. Taylor will first appear in conversation with author, screenwriter and columnist Dolly Alderton. They will discuss Taylor’s literary debut, ‘A Complicated Woman’, which is out on October 30.
The Mercury Prize nominated musician’s debut book shares it’s title with Self Esteem’s latest studio album which was released in April. She is expected to discuss her lyrics, songwriting process and personal experiences.
This conversation will then be followed by “an evening of music and spoken word from artists including Travis Alabanza, Pam Ayres, Magred, Tom Rasmussen and Seraphina Simone”.
Tickets for the evening event will cost £20 +£3.50 booking fee and will be available to purchase from tomorrow (July 10) at 10am. Head here to purchase tickets and find more information.
Taylor has spoken of her excitement at being apart of the event, saying: “I’m honoured to be curating at this year’s London Literature Festival, I’ve never really believed there to be rigid lines between songwriting, art, poetry and prose.
“I’ve always longed to be free from genre and labels, not just in my own work, but also in the art I’m drawn to. I want it all because I am greedy, and I’m no longer going to apologise for that.
“I am so excited to explore this through my involvement with the London Literature Festival, alongside a host of multidisciplinary artists I admire and am inspired by.”
Multiple key figures linked to the festival have also come out sharing their enthusiasm to have Self Esteem involved. Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature & Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre, said: “I’m thrilled to be collaborating with one of my favourite artists, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, a.k.a Self Esteem. Rebecca is a masterful chronicler of what it is to be a young woman today; with her unmistakably frank and funny lyricism. Rebecca’s writing acts as a striking reminder of the galvanising power of great literature.”
The Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre, Mark Ball, added: “The Southbank Centre is a place where culture makers come to congregate, collaborate and create their best work, and we’re delighted that Rebecca Lucy Taylor will bring her extraordinary vision to the curation of events at this year’s London Literature Festival.”
Head here to purchase tickets to the event from tomorrow (July 10) morning and find out more information about ‘Self Esteem Presents’ and the London Literature Festival as a whole.
