Live Review: Self Esteem - Brixton Academy, London 09/10/2025
Self Esteem gives us an insight to what a rebellious night out would be in Gilead on your average Thursday in a way that’s daring, bold and has something to say at Brixton Academy – complete with stellar support from Nadine Shah and Moonchild Sanelly.
The last time Self Esteem played Brixton Academy; she was supporting IDLES in a mismatch that she’s self-aware of enough to take note this time around. Now having headlined End of the Road festival, the year after the raucous Bristolian punk outfit, she’s back – and has been smart enough to pick her support more appropriately. She’s tongue in cheek about the whole thing – this is real music, she says, speaking of IDLES – and launches into The Curse. But before that it’s time for Moonchild Sanelly, a star rising – echoing the maverick chaos of Lynks on the night, a free- spirited success story that can’t say no.
Like Self Esteem, the trailblazing South African musician was at EOTR this year and like Self Esteem you could see her a lot higher up the bill in the years to come. Her style is ‘future ghetto funk’ and her club songs get the party started – ramping up the crowd that have turned out early. If they didn’t – they missed a trick – dancing is the energy of the day, and she turns Brixton Academy into a clubhouse that’s sure to get the party started. The stage antics show a passionate love for her craft, infectious with its hybrid of African dance music style from kwaito to gqom. Do My Dance is fantastic, and the overwhelmingly instant delight and Big Man reverses gender roles in a fantastic switch-up that holds nothing back.
Nadine Shah has always been fiercely outspoken for Palestine to the point where she has brought Jeremy Corbyn on stage at Wide Awake to champion her cause and encourages the audience to attend the London March on the weekend as part of her set closure. She brings a passionate revelry for the night that almost has you wonder why she’s not the headline act – her show at 02 Kentish Town last year suggested she is more than ready for that stage. The Greatest Dancer is mesmerising – an unstoppable titan that speaks for the weak and the voiceless. Topless Mother is a mesmerising statement piece – hypnotic in her energy, and the way the music switches into Trad and Fool make her only six song short piece feel utterly essential without a minute spared. Out of the Way is a rallying cry against oppression and the powerful, “you say “Out the Way! Out the way” Out” x3 is countered by “where would you have me go? I’m second generation, don’t you know?” and the lyrics couldn’t be timelier. Politically charged with her heart in the right place, Self Esteem couldn’t have chosen a better support act. Almost too good; in fact – it makes you wonder that she should be headlining.
But then you’re reminded why Self Esteem is top billing, within seconds of her show opening. This is one of Britain’s greatest stars of the moment – a real tour de force, combining ritualistic witchcraft with the influence of Margaret Atwood and The Handmaid’s Tale. Her dancers are dressed in black and white; perfectly choreographed and with hyper precision. This feels like what an ‘era’ should be – an ‘era’ of A Complicated Woman – Self Esteem’s latest, utterly brilliant album that tackles much of the issues of existing as a woman today. It’s timely, powerful and leaves a mark – with resounding production values that keep the crowd entertained. Bombastic as a venue headliner – it couldn’t be any braver in today’s world.
Self Esteem runs through much of A Complicated Woman with the precision that made her a star. Mother is a warning: I am not your mother and nor should you want me to be, is a statement piece about girlfriends and partners who end up taking the role of their mother for their relationship. She’s not their therapist – and neither should she be. It’s an instruction and a call to listen. We get the funny number song out of the way early on in the set – 69 – which the fact that it was played at family friendly festival End of the Road couldn’t have been more hilarious, but it’s with the brilliance of a live performer that Self Esteem immerses you in a sex-positive lyricism – getting cheers from the audience when she yells “if you beg, I will peg,” and it isn’t long before the balcony are standing up and joining in on the dancing. The crowd came to dance and Self Esteem obligies.
Her personality and humour is what makes A Complicated Woman the record that it is, Rebecca Lucy Taylor capable of delivering funny one-liners mid-set and her humour is unmatched – obviously the potshots at IDLES are in jest, she’s not trying to start a feud – and The Curse, coming straight after Fucking Wizardry, is enough to live up to the high bar of “real music”. The Curse is a study of alcoholism and sobriety – an ode to her past relationship with alcohol – “I wouldn’t do it if it didn’t work,” she says, “but it really works, and that’s the curse,” and Fucking Wizardry draws off Priortise Pleasure for a bombastic, grandstanding song about the ex getting back in touch – “what could you possibly be gaining by asking how my day has been and forwarding things that you’ve seen?” she asks – knowing that the ex wants her back but can’t say it. As sets go both songs are a highlight few artists can rival.
Self Esteem has plenty of time to pay tribute to her support act – a resounding rendition of In Plain Sight calls out Moonchild Sanelly once more onto the stage, and the encore is a crowd-pleaser that keeps everyone on side. It’s an album that has the lofty task of following up Prioritise Pleasure with its glowing rewards – bringing the stage experience of playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret in 2023 at West End to craft a performance that is almost akin to theatre. Unapologetically big and unapologetically a Self Esteem show; there are few better experiences. Her influences come from all over the place – “win the crowd and you’ll win your freedom”, is a statement piece from Ridley Scott’s Gladiator that acts as a launching point for her intent here and inspiration for the record: with Self Esteem embracing that although sometimes things may be shit, you’re able to find the resistance despite the overbearing nature of it and keeping calm to carry on and have fun. And that’s what this show does: give you the freedom of expression to have the time of your life.
Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies
Photos by Harry Wassell
