Gig review: Self Esteem at Octagon, Sheffield

Born on the outskirts of Rotherham, Taylor is welcomed to the final night of her Prioritise Pleasure tour with mimicked dog howls during I’m Fine, screams so enthusiastic she can’t help but beam her way through Moody, and the hilariously timed heckle of “that was amazing” at the end of John Elton.

But Taylor isn’t just appreciated in the Steel City because she’s from there, but because she’s good, really good. From the precise choreography to the cuttingly honest lyrics and the bellowing top notes that hit the ceiling, Taylor knows how to captivate an audience. And yet, despite her polish in performance, she makes herself accessible by encapsulating all the messy, contradictory feelings and identities, we battle to balance every day. She is vulnerable (“I thought that you’d be kind to me”), regretful (“Never have I just enjoyed the moment happening right now”), empowering (“I’m free”) and commanding (“Prioritise pleasuring me”) all in one song.

Taylor’s brand of self-love is infectious. When introducing The 345 – a song about fighting depression – she says: “Not thinking you’re the worst thing in the world is the way to have a nicer life”. Under the glow of the lights and as the final notes of the song fade, Taylor takes the hands of her band while my friend places her hand on my shoulder, and the room is bathed in the kindness and encouragement we so desperately need in these isolating times.

Of course, there is plenty of time for dancing and the healing euphoria of hands held high, blaring out: “I’ll take care, I’ll read again, I’ll sing again, I will” from hit single I Do This All the Time. On the drumkit are the words “Keep lyrics uncomfortable” and never has sitting in that discomfort been so fun. “I’ll never forget tonight,” Taylor says before she leaves the stage, and neither will we.