Why We ‘Stan’ Lily Allen…
From lyrics to politics — Lily’s influence in a nutshell:
*Trigger warnings: drugs, alcohol, mental health, eating disorders, miscarriage*
Pop-star Lily Allen, famous for producing hit songs ‘Smile’, ‘Not Fair’ and ‘The Fear’ has made waves in the 2000s, but why was she so influential?
To many, Lily Allen was an immature teenage brat, making a fool of herself, repeatedly being plastered across tabloids for all the wrong reasons.
But I have always adored her.
She is ruthlessly herself and speaks out on social and political issues on all platforms, especially her socials and within her lyrics, something that many artists are scared to do.
Her brash uncouthness and clever potty-mouthed lyricism is oddly charming and endearing, which is why we ‘stan’ Lily Allen.
Allen’s iconic lyrics entertainingly poke fun and criticise the many things wrong with the world:
The Homophobes and the Racists
“So, you say it’s not okay to be gay, well, I think you’re just evil / you’re just some racist who can’t tie my laces / your point of view is medieval” (F*ck You)
The Misogynists
“You want to be like your father, it’s approval you’re after / Well, that’s not how you find it” (F*ck You)
The Sensational Tabloids
“And I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless / ’Cause everyone knows that’s how you get famous / I’ll look at The Sun and I’ll look in The Mirror / We’re on the right track, yeah, I’m on to a winner” (The Fear)
The Music Industry
“Now I’m not a saint but I’m not a sinner / Now everything is cool as long as I’m getting thinner” (The Fear)
As a kid I never listened or particularly understood the lyrics of songs. I just enjoyed them. But compiling a Spotify playlist of all the ‘throwback’ songs that I loved from my childhood, listening to Allen’s songs made me realise how powerful the satirical messages in her lyrics are.
To appreciate Lily Allen’s powerful lyrics, it’s also important to dive into the darker parts of her life, as someone with immense strength and resilience in her worst moments (especially at the peak of fame).
- Allen’s father left when she was only 4.
- Her mother and stepfather abused drugs and alcohol.
- She was expelled from 13 schools for drinking and smoking.
- At 15 she dropped out of school, drug dealing and devoting her late adolescent years focusing on music, with many rejections and unsuccessful signings.
- She began abusing alcohol and drugs herself.
- Allen had a 7-year-long stalker, who broke into her house and threatened her, frustrated at the police’s extended inaction regarding the issue.
- She went through countless divorces and breakups around this time.
- She suffered from depression admitting herself to a psychiatric ward.
- She suffered from bulimia.
- She suffered a miscarriage of her son George — developing PTSD as a result.
While her journey as a young woman caught up in the dangerous whirlwind of the music industry is nothing short of devastating, Allen also commented on the worrying gender inequality within music industry:
Speaking out about these issues, that women were told to “keep their mouth shut or people will laugh at you” and that women were forced to “look a certain way in order to sell records.”
Allen attended many protests, being very vocal on social media in support of many different issues, including the Labour Party and its leaders, inspiring a rebellion within parliament against PM Gordon Brown. She wrote to all the MP’s, proposing a reward scheme for home production of renewable energy, convincing them to pass an amendment to the energy bill.
Allen was also on ‘Channel 4 News’ discussing the fire at Grenfell Tower, claiming “the death count has been downplayed by the mainstream media”, after the original death count was falsely claimed to be 17.
Aside from being outspoken about external influences and issues, Allen also lays out the raw unedited truth of her life for us in her autobiography ‘My Thoughts Exactly’:
Allen’s journey is admirable, as a feminist, a mother-of-two, wife and star, dealing with the intense strain of the music industry and adolescent fame, emerging through the other side is the very reason why Lily Allen is an icon!
You can find Lily Allen’s songs on Spotify or Apple Music:
