Brazen signs Self Esteem's debut, 'a subversive anti-Bible' for women
Brazen has signed A Complicated Woman, the ‘extraordinary’ literary debut from the award-winning musician Rebecca Lucy Taylor, best known by her stage name Self Esteem.
Romilly Morgan, publisher at the Octopus Books imprint, acquired world rights for A Complicated Woman directly from the author. The book is set to publish on 30th October 2025. The book shares a title with her latest album.
Brazen said of the debut by the Ivor Novello Award-winning musician and artist: “With trademark lyricism and razor-sharp wit, Taylor takes us on a journey through womanhood – whatever the hell that means.
“Through the notes, lyrics and biting observational prose for which Taylor has become renowned, A Complicated Woman offers itself up as a subversive anti-Bible for any woman who has ever cracked under the weight of impossible expectation; who has done unto others the damage that has been wrought upon her; and who has discovered deep within herself a resilience that surprised her.
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“Described as a ‘cathartic scream of a book’, A Complicated Woman gets to the heart of what it is to be a woman in the world today and cements Taylor as one of the most exciting voices of her generation.”
Ella Gordon, acting publisher at Brazen, said: “Rebecca’s legions of fans will find everything they love about her music within A Complicated Woman but what’s most exciting is that this book is a standalone work of art in its own right: full of poetry, blistering insight and lines that make you feel like you’ve been punched in the stomach (in the best way). It’s fresh, wildly creative and an absolute joyride of a read that we cannot wait for everyone to experience come October.”
Taylor added: “It has been such a pleasure to explore my work in a longer form and without the pressure to put it to a melody. Please enjoy this glass-half-empty exploration of self obsession from the pen of someone who never ended up going to university. Thank you Brazen for your patience with me.”
