Pop
'I didn't have any': Self Esteem reveals why she adopted her stage name
Self Esteem - real name Rebecca Lucy Taylor - has revealed that she took her stage moniker because of her lack of self-confidence.
Self Esteem adopted her stage name in a bid to build her confidence - because she didn't have any.
The 39-year-old singer – whose real name is Rebecca Lucy Taylor – has explained that her unique musical moniker has given her a sense of self-belief that she never previously possessed.
Speaking on Paloma Faith's Mad, Sad and Bad podcast, she said: "I called myself Self Esteem because I didn't have any, and this has given me it. It's truly manifesting everyday to remind myself to have it."
The musician launched a solo career in 2017 after previously being a member of the duo Slow Club and has vowed to continue making "different" albums as she approaches her 40th birthday.
Self Esteem said: "I'm gonna make so many albums, and they'll all be different, and they can't all be successful in the same way.
"I'm 40 in October and I don't give a f*** but also it's doing something to me and my sense of self, also as a woman in the music industry it's just in red pen 'DONE NOW'."
Self Esteem explained that she feels the need to keep making records because she comes from a less privileged background than many of her contemporaries in the industry.
The Mercury Prize nominee said: "My music peers were all from a privileged background, which just means you get to be better because you get to put more time into it and devote yourself to it. It's just going to get bigger and bigger that gap.
"How do I ever disconnect my brain from the fear of keeping a roof over my head to try and make the art?"
Self Esteem explained that she feels the need to keep making records because she comes from a less privileged background than many of her contemporaries in the industry.
The singer explained that her desire to succeed in music is fuelled by her experiences with a "gaslighting" former boyfriend.
The Your Wife artist said: "There was a real nasty b****** boyfriend that was like, 'You're crazy.' Proper Dickens-style gaslighting. And it really worked cause I had no idea. I even let him join the band for a bit!"
She added: "Everything about my career has been me avenging for that girl... I don't need revenge, and it's quite bad for the diary."
