Lily Allen Says Having Kids ‘Ruined’ Her Pop Career
Lily Allen attends the Glamour Women of The Year Awards 2023 at One Marylebone on October 17, 2023 in London, England.
Lily Allen says that her career as a pop star would have lasted longer had she not had children. The British singer, known for her songs like “Smile,” said in a new interview that though she loves her kids and they “complete” her, having them “totally ruined” her career.
Allen, who gained popularity 15 years ago, added that when people say you can have it all, it annoys her because “quite frankly, you can’t.” The mother of two daughters didn’t choose to prioritize her career over her children, though she doesn’t condemn those who do. At 38 years old, the singer said she chose to step away from her music career and focus on raising her two daughters, whom she shares with ex-husband Sam Cooper, because her parents were “quite absent” when she was a child.
Allen’s parents, actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen were both in the entertainment industry. She noted that she doesn’t want to repeat those “nasty scars” from her childhood on her children. With no regrets, Lily finds herself proud of raising some “pretty well-rounded people.” Allen gave birth to Ethel Mary in 2011 and Marnie Rose in 2013. Prior to giving birth to her daughters, Allen suffered a stillbirth in 2010.
Allen has seen most of her career success in the UK, with three number-one hits and 15 in the Top 40. Her 2006 debut album Alright Still, featuring hits “Smile” and “LDN,” catapulted her to fame and earned the singer-songwriter a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
Allen currently lives in New York City with her daughters and husband, Stranger Things star David Harbour, whom she married in 2020. In 2009, Allen announced that she was considering a career in acting, wouldn’t renew her record contract, and that she had “no plans” to make another record.
By 2014, she released her third album Sheezus but said she didn’t enjoy the “inauthentic” music she was asked to create. Four years later, she released another album titled No Shame, then moved on to acting. Last year, when a fan asked her why she quit singing, Lily replied: “because it’s an utterly s— time to be a writer.”
(Photo by Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images)
These Pop Songs Turn 15 in 2024
As the final year in the oughts, 2009 gave us a fantastic year in pop music. We had Lady Gaga’s reissue of The Fame, which she called The Fame Monster. The album gave us hits like “Alejandro,” “Bad Romance,” and “Telephone.” Gaga gave something new to the pop scene with her out-of-this-world outfits and music video concepts. She was unapologetically herself, and she set the standard for artists to come looking to break molds. The Black Eyed Peas were also doing their own thing in this era, sticking true to being self-proclaimed “weirdos,” making songs that they knew were dope enough to get radio play that they didn’t have to change their sound to adapt. These artists were well ahead of their time, and the fans ate it all up.
Newcomers to the World of Pop
A newcomer to the scene was Ke$ha, who used to sign her name with the dollar sign while working with Dr. Luke. Following her success of being featured on Flo Rida’s 2008 hit, “Right Round,” Ke$ha’s debut single was “TiK ToK.” At this time, wild child Ke$ha was 18 years old, saying the inspiration behind the song came from coming home half-drunk and stumbling after a night out of partying. The song later appeared on her debut album, Animal, featuring heavily autotuned songs that were a staple during this time period. For teenagers growing up at this time, Ke$ha was perfect for partying and emulating that lifestyle. On the other side, Miley Cyrus was closing out her Hanna Montana chapter. With the film release in 2009, the singer and actress provided one of the most beautiful, inspiring ballads that she has ever recorded thus far. “The Climb” was a pivotal moment in Cyrus’ music career, as her voice was developing and reaching new ranges that it hadn’t before.
Take a look below at the six pop songs that have a fifteenth anniversary in 2024:
Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.
