As an artist, Lily Allen stands firm by her belief that heartbreak can be a gift. After all, it helped lead to her latest album, “West End Girl.”
“You know, while I was writing it, I wasn’t really sure that it was going to see the light of day,” Allen told CBS News special correspondent Anthony Mason in an interview for “CBS Mornings” that aired Thursday, describing the music as “an act of desperation.” The studio album, released in late October, was written during the breakup of her nearly 4-year marriage to “Stranger Things” actor David Harbour.
The theme of what’s been described as Allen’s epic “breakup album” centers around tales of a deceptive partner, which the singer says is based partly on truth and partly on fantasy.
Harbour has not directly addressed his breakup with Allen or commented on her “West End Girl” album. But in an interview with Esquire UK, published around the album’s release, Harbour discussed the importance of accepting your mistakes. “I’d change everything or nothing. If you accept your past, you accept it completely, even the pain, the mistakes… It’s all part of the journey, the growth, the wisdom, the empathy, and the connection, and if you change one thing, you change everything,” he told the magazine at the time, adding that his work is about being honest.
New album says “everything that I needed to say”
But Allen said it was a “nightmare” holding onto the album and stunted her healing process. She felt a sense of relief and peace when she finally was able to share her words with the world.
“Since I’ve put it out, it’s felt completely and utterly liberating. It was kind of hellish having it in the background,” Allen said. “I don’t know. I just feel like I couldn’t – it said everything that I needed to say. And I felt like I couldn’t really like get on with my life until I’d said it.”
Her newly released music quickly lit up social media, with fans reacting to it on TikTok.
Allen wrote most of the record within the span of 10 days at the end of last year. She was excited to complete the album, but at the same time her personal life was falling into pieces.
After spending Christmas with her two daughters whom she shares with ex-husband Sam Cooper, Allen decided to check herself into a treatment facility.
“I knew the things I was feeling were too intense,” Allen explained her decision to seek professional help at the time following her separation. As a recovering alcoholic, Allen said she’s not afraid of working on herself and knew she needed some quiet time.
A cathartic release
The Brooklyn townhouse that Allen and Harbour gave Architectural Digest a tour of in 2023 is now listed for around $8 million. The pair bought the home in early 2021 shortly after they got married.
Allen said her music was cathartic – for herself and her children.
“All of the pain that, you know, that I’ve been through in the past year, they’ve been through too,” Allen said. ” But you know, one thing that I wanted to do was to show my kids that, you know, you can use that pain and harness it and turn it into something else. And I think I’ve done that.”
Now, Allen is preparing for her 2026 tour – her first since she got sober in 2019.
The singer said she’s planning her touring schedule around her girls’ holidays so they’ll be able to come and bring their friends.
“I can’t wait to have them there. It’s like, it’s gonna be… It’s as much for them as it is for me,” Allen said, adding that she feels like she’s living her best life after a year of healing.
