Lily Allen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lily Allen
Allen in 2018
Born	Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (1985-05-02) 2 May 1985 (age 40) Hammersmith, London, England
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress author
Spouse(s)	Sam Cooper ​ ​ (m. 2011; div. 2018)​ David Harbour ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Keith Allen Alison Owen
Relatives	Alfie Allen (brother) Kevin Allen (uncle)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop electropop R&B
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1998–present
Labels	London Regal Capitol Warner Bros. In the Name Of

Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born on 2 May 1985) is a talented English singer, songwriter, actress, and author. She started her music journey in 2005 by sharing her songs on Myspace, a popular social media site at the time. Her music quickly became famous, leading to her first hit single, "Smile", which reached number one in the UK in 2006.

Lily Allen's first album, Alright, Still (2006), was loved by critics and sold millions of copies worldwide. Her second album, It's Not Me, It's You (2009), also topped the charts in the UK and Australia. She won a Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist in 2010. Later albums, Sheezus (2014) and No Shame (2018), continued her success.

Beyond music, Lily Allen has explored other exciting careers. She hosted her own TV talk show, Lily Allen and Friends, and even started her own record label. In 2018, she wrote a book about her life called My Thoughts Exactly. She has also acted in films like How to Build a Girl and made her debut in West End theatre in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story, earning an award nomination.

Early Life and Music Discovery

Lily Allen was born in Hammersmith, West London, on 2 May 1985. Her father, Keith Allen, is an actor, and her mother, Alison Owen, is a film producer. Lily has an older sister, Sarah, and two younger siblings, Alfie and Rebecca. Her brother Alfie is also an actor and was the subject of her song "Alfie".

When Lily was three, she appeared in a TV show her father helped write. She moved around a lot as a child, attending 13 different schools. At age eleven, a music teacher heard Lily singing an Oasis song and was very impressed. This led to Lily taking singing lessons and performing in school concerts. She realized then that music was her passion. Lily learned to play piano, violin, guitar, and trumpet, and was part of a choir. She left school at fifteen to focus on her dreams.

Music Career Journey

Starting Out (2001–2005)

Lily Allen's music journey began when she met her first manager in Ibiza. She started recording songs and tried to get signed by record labels. Many labels initially turned her down, which she felt was because of her famous father. However, she eventually signed with London Records in 2002.

In 2005, Lily signed with Regal Recordings. She started sharing her demo songs on Myspace, a social media site where people could connect and share content. Her songs quickly became very popular, attracting thousands of listeners. This online buzz led to her first single, "LDN", being released. She also made two mixtapes to share her music even more widely. Soon, magazines like The Observer Music Monthly noticed her growing fame.

First Album Success (2006–2008)

The success of her online demos convinced her record label to give her more freedom to create her first album. Lily worked with producers Greg Kurstin and Mark Ronson. Her first album, Alright, Still, came out in July 2006. Many of its songs, including "Smile" and "LDN", were already popular on MySpace. "Smile" became a number one hit in the UK. The album was a big success, selling many copies and earning a nomination for a Grammy Award.

In 2007, Lily performed at the Glastonbury Festival, a huge music event. She also sang on a popular song called "Oh My God" with Mark Ronson. She performed at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium, singing her hits "LDN" and "Smile". Lily also performed at a special concert to raise money for War Child, a charity that helps children affected by war.

Second Album and Break (2008–2011)

Lily Allen performing at the Sziget Festival in August 2009

For her second album, It's Not Me, It's You, Lily worked again with producer Greg Kurstin. She wanted to create bigger, more meaningful songs. She said she had grown up and wanted her music to show that. The album was released in February 2009 and went straight to number one in the UK, Canada, and Australia. Its first single, "The Fear", was also a number one hit in the UK for four weeks.

Lily won several awards for her work on this album, including three Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting. She also helped raise money for charity by singing at a special event. In September 2009, Lily announced she was thinking about acting and would take a break from music. She performed her last show for a while in September 2010. During this time, she also started writing songs for a musical version of Bridget Jones's Diary.

Return to Music (2012–2018)

In June 2012, Lily confirmed she was back in the studio making new music with Greg Kurstin. She also appeared on a song called "True Love" on Pink's album. In November 2013, Lily recorded a cover of Keane's song "Somewhere Only We Know" for a Christmas advertisement. This song became a number one hit in the UK.

She then released a new song, "Hard Out Here", which also entered the top ten. Her third album, Sheezus, was released in May 2014 and topped the UK charts again.

Lily Allen performing in March 2018

After Sheezus, Lily felt she was being asked to create music that wasn't truly her style. She decided to work on a new album that would be more personal, dealing with her own experiences. This album, No Shame, was released in June 2018. It was praised by critics for its honest lyrics and mix of pop, dancehall, and reggae sounds. The album reached number eight in the UK and was nominated for a Mercury Prize, a prestigious music award. Lily then went on a worldwide tour to promote No Shame.

Recent Music and Projects (2019–present)

In April 2019, Lily shared that she was working on a new concept album, which is an album where all the songs are connected by a theme or story. In 2024, she mentioned she had recorded about 50 songs for her next music project.

Acting Career

On Stage

In June 2021, Lily Allen announced she would star in the West End play 2:22 A Ghost Story. She played the lead role of Jenny, and her performance was highly praised. In 2022, she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress and won a WhatsOnStage Award for her role.

In 2023, Lily also starred in another play called The Pillowman in London.

On Screen

Lily Allen has appeared in films and TV shows. She had a small role in the 1998 film Elizabeth, which her mother helped produce. In 2019, she played Elizabeth Taylor in the film How to Build a Girl, alongside her brother Alfie.

In April 2023, Lily starred in the comedy-drama TV series Dreamland for Sky Max.

Other Ventures

Lily Allen hosted her own TV show on BBC Three called Lily Allen and Friends. The show was based on the social networking idea that helped her music career take off. She also became the face of the National Portrait Gallery for a marketing campaign.

In 2010, Lily and her sister opened their own clothing store called "Lucy in Disguise". In 2011, she launched her own record label, In the Name Of, which helped launch the career of artist Tom Odell. She later started another record label, Bank Holiday Records, in 2016.

In September 2018, Lily published her memoir, My Thoughts Exactly, a book about her life experiences. The book was well-received and listed as one of the best celebrity memoirs of 2018 by the Evening Standard. In 2024, Lily began hosting a podcast called Miss Me? with her friend Miquita Oliver.

Awards and Recognition

Lily Allen has received many awards and nominations throughout her career. She has won three Ivor Novello Awards for her songwriting and three NME Awards. She has also been nominated for a Grammy Award and a Mercury Prize for her music. For her acting, she received a nomination for a Laurence Olivier Award.

Personal Life and Well-being

Lily Allen is a fan of cricket and has appeared on a radio show about the sport.

Family Life

Lily Allen has two daughters. She married Sam Cooper in 2011, and they later divorced in 2018. In 2020, she married actor David Harbour in Las Vegas. Lily has shared that she has prioritized her children over her career, wanting to be present for them.

Mental Health Awareness

Lily Allen has openly discussed her experiences with mental health. She has spoken about challenges with body image and the pressure to look a certain way in the music industry. In 2017, she shared that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and in 2023, she was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She believes it's important to talk about these topics to help others.

Community and Politics

Lily Allen considers herself a socialist and is a strong supporter of the Labour Party in the UK. She has used her platform to support causes she believes in. For example, she encouraged members of parliament to support a plan for renewable energy.

She also joined other musicians in 2009 to create a digital petition to encourage world leaders to take action on climate change. In 2016, she supported the Women's Equality Party in local elections. She has also spoken out about social issues, such as the Grenfell Tower fire in London.

Stalking Experience

Lily Allen has bravely spoken about a difficult seven-year experience with a stalker. She shared how this affected her life and how she felt isolated. The person was eventually convicted of burglary and harassment in 2016 and received a hospital order. Lily has criticized how the police handled her case, feeling they did not take her concerns seriously enough at first. She used her album No Shame as a way to express her feelings about this challenging time.

Discography

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

Tours

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Lily Allen para niños