In an industry that all too often only pays lip service to female empowerment, Rebecca Taylor is a tonic. Giving voice to the biting internal monologues women are forced to suppress in polite society, the Rotherham-raised star’s deeply witty and often devastating, sorry-not-sorry approach to songwriting is nothing short of revolutionary.
It’s an ethos she applies to her stage decor too, which at The Forum included a kick drum emblazoned with the legend, “Keep lyrics uncomfortable,” plus two giant projections either side of the stage, asserting, “There is nothing that terrifies a man more than a woman that appears completely deranged.” A lyric from set-opener I’m Fine, the latter statement was further underscored at the song’s climax, when Taylor led the largely-female audience in howling like dogs. But as 2021’s universally-adored LP Prioritise Pleasure proved, purposeful pop with a keen sense of the absurd is Taylor’s forte.
Replicating the album artwork in a black cowboy hat and leotard, Taylor treated fans to a slickly-choreographed run through of the record’s many highlights, accompanied by a live drummer and multi-instrumentalist, plus three backing vocalists/dancers. A percussionist herself, Taylor’s intensely rhythmic compositions exploded into life in the live arena, with the Kanye-inspired beats of How Can I Help You and off-kilter funk-pop of You Forever provoking much air-punching.
Soaring harmonies accentuated Taylor’s powerful voice perfectly, which was in fine form throughout but really stunned during the spirit-stirring gospel of The 345, and the sung-choruses of breakout single I Do This All The Time. Unsurprisingly, it was the latter that received the biggest response, and it was truly life-affirming to hear 2,000-plus people bellowing in unison, “Don’t be intimidated by all the babies they have / Don’t be embarrassed that all you’ve had is fun.” Just as joyous was Taylor’s camaraderie with her band, expressed via close knit choreography reportedly inspired by Madonna’s legendary Blonde Ambition tour.
For day one fans, airings of songs from debut album Compliments Please proved a real treat. Bi-curious banger Girl Crush was every bit as bitingly hilarious as on record, while a soulful rendition of In Time arguably approved upon the original, largely thanks to it being shorn of AutoTune. Fittingly, The Best lived up to its billing, closing out the show in a flurry of defiance.“This is such a laugh, I can’t get over it,” Taylor beamed mid-set, summing up the night’s appeal perfectly. A truly spirit-stirring celebration of female pleasure, led by Britain’s most crucial pop star.
