A Complicated Woman
A Complicated Woman is the third studio album by the English singer and songwriter Self Esteem. It was released on 25 April 2025 via Polydor. It follows her 2021 critically acclaimed album, Prioritise Pleasure.
Critical reception
AnyDecentMusic?, another aggregator, gave it an average rating of 8.0 out of 10 from a sample of 19 critical reviews. The Economist included the album in their list of the top 10 albums for 2025: "Rebecca Taylor produces thrilling, propulsive dance-pop. 'If I’m so empowered,' she wonders, 'why am I such a coward?'"Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.Musicians
- Rebecca Taylor – lead vocals, choir arrangement, strings arrangement
- Johan Hugo – drums, programming, string arrangement, bass, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, organ, clarinet, horn
- Seraphina D'Arby – vocals, background vocals
- Sophie Galpin – vocals ; choir arrangement, organ
- Tom Rasmussen – vocals, additional vocals
- Damon Gould, Levi Heaton, Marged Sion, Travis Ross – vocals
- Angel Silvera – vocals, choir arrangement
- Adenikè Zen, Cecilia Ventura, Desrine Ewart, Glenn Meadows, James Thompson, Janine Kelly, Jessica McKenzie, Kelli Blanchett, Maleik Loveridge, PJ Greaves, Petra Luke, Renée Lamb, Rosie "Sepha" Cheyette, Shaun Riley, Tehillah Daniel, Yasmin Green – vocals
- Bryony James, Kirsten Jenson – cello
- Richard Pryce – double bass
- Clifton Harrison, Meghan Cassidy – viola
- Charis Jenson, Hayley Pomfrett, Jenny Sacha, Kerenza Peacock, Michael Trainor, Patrick Kiernan, Sarah Sexton, Steve Morris, Zahra Benyounes – violin
- Rosie Danvers – strings arrangement
- Seb Rochford – drums
- Seye Adelekan – bass, background vocals, guitar, choir arrangement
- Ruthlss – piano
- Pale Jay – background vocals, additional vocals, guitar
- Sue Tompkins – vocals
- Rob Milton – piano, programming, synthesizer
- Colin Elliot – strings arrangement, horn
- Esau Mwamwaya – additional vocals
- Stuart Price – bass, drums, programming
- Moonchild Sanelly – spoken word
- Nadine Shah – vocals
- Seraphina Simone – additional vocals
- Freddie Wordsworth – horn
- Raven Bush – strings arrangement
Technical
- Johan Hugo – production, engineering
- Rob Milton – production
- Stuart Price – production
- Lorna Blackwood – vocal production
- Ben Baptie – mixing (recorded music)|mixing]
- Geoff Swan – mixing
- Erik Hanson – mixing assistance
- Matt Cahill – mixing assistance
- Isabel Gracefield, Tommy Bosustow – engineering
- Gordon Davidson – engineering
- Louis Lion – vocal engineering
- Colin Elliot – additional engineering
- Gonzalo Barrera – additional engineering
- Carmel Comiskey, Daniel Hayden, Freddie Light – engineering assistance
- Matt Colton – mastering