Lily Allen

El Rey Theatre - Lily Allen 04 25 2018 -22 (42092424455) (cropped)

Lily Allen

Lily Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. She is the daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. Allen's music career began in 2005 when she made some of her recordings public on Myspace, resulting in airplay on BBC Radio 1 and a contract with Regal Recordings.

Early Life

Lily Rose Beatrice Allen was born in Hammersmith, London. She attended 13 schools, including Bedales School, and was expelled from several of them for drinking and smoking. Allen left school when she was 15 and concentrated on improving her performing and compositional skills.

Music Career

2005–2008: Alright, Still

Allen's debut album, Alright, Still, was released in July 2006. The album spawned the hit singles "Smile", "LDN", and "Alfie". Alright, Still was well received by critics, earning Allen nominations at the BRIT Awards and Grammy Awards.

2009–2010: It's Not Me, It's You

Her second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You, was released in February 2009. The album represented a shift in her musical style, incorporating elements of electropop. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and included the singles "The Fear" and "Not Fair".

2011–2013: Hiatus and Acting

In 2011, Allen announced a hiatus from music to focus on her family and launched her own record label, In the Name Of. During this period, she also ventured into acting, appearing in the play Reasons to Be Pretty.

2014–2018: Sheezus and No Shame

Allen returned to music with her third album, Sheezus, in May 2014. The album included the singles "Hard out Here" and "Air Balloon". Her fourth album, No Shame, was released in June 2018 and was nominated for the Mercury Prize.

Personal Life

Allen has been open about her struggles with mental health and substance abuse. She has two daughters with her ex-husband, Sam Cooper. In 2020, she married actor David Harbour.

Discography

• Alright, Still (2006)
• It's Not Me, It's You (2009)
• Sheezus (2014)
• No Shame (2018)

Filmography

• Elizabeth (1998)
• The Comic Strip Presents... (2005)
• Reasons to Be Pretty (2011)

Awards and Nominations

Allen has received numerous awards and nominations, including BRIT Awards, Grammy Awards, and Mercury Prize nominations.

See Also

• List of British musicians
• List of pop musicians
• List of actors from London