Adam KennyBritish Pop Icon: Lily Allen (Harbour?)
If you grew up in the mid 2000s like I did, you’ll be very familiar with Lily Allen. Popular and sometimes controversial British pop icon Lily Allen made a come back with her first album in 7 years, West End Girl. The look and sound that Lily Allen created for herself as has served as inspiration for many. Charli XCX being one example. Her early career’s aesthetic showing clear influences from Allen’s fashion.
Allen wrote West End Girl after a difficult divorce from Stranger Things actor David Harbour. The pair tied the knot back in September of 2020 before separating in February of 2025. Allen does not hold back here, and in fact, goes into explicit detail around Harbour’s apparent unfaithfulness that was being disguised to Allen as an open marriage. Whilst serving Allen as a way to process the betrayal, West End Girl has also turned out to be an incredibly catchy and damning album.
A Marriage from The Upside Down
West End Girl does not hide what it’s about. It’s not subtle, it doesn’t push any details off to the side with a play on words. No similes, analogies, or any poetic damnations. Lily does not want to hold back and wants to make it very clear what has happened between her and David Harbour. The very first track of the album starts off fun RnB pop beat with some reggae influences. Lily goes through how perfect everything is whilst noting a “red flag” of Harbour’s from the beginning that she ignores.
Everything is great. They’re married, have moved into a brownstone in New York, Lily has a part in a play. Nothing could ruin this fairy tale like ending for Lily. That is until the latter half of the song is Lily on the phone where we don’t hear any dialogue from the caller, just Lily’s reaction. What follows is Lily’s thoughts, feelings, confusion and shock of what she’s been told.
A Conversation too big for a phone call
Songs like “Ruminating” and “Sleepwalking” are great for showing us the confusion and anxiety that Harbour was causing Allen. From what we can gather, the initial phone call that Lily got was Harbour expressing his want for an open relationship as Lily was away from New York for the play she was to be apart of. “Ruminating” is one of my favourite songs on the album as lyrically it shows how discombobulated and hurt Lily really was. Going over and over the thought of someone else being with her husband.
Sonically the songs are incredibly catchy.“Ruminating” having a fun gimmick where the hook’s mixing literally goes back and forth.“Sleepwalking” has a slower more poppy beat. Something you would hear from late 2010s Ariana Grande. Going into how exhausting not only the mental and emotional toll this has been on Lily, but how Harbour himself has exhausted her with his excuses and reasoning that always ends with her getting the blame.
There are no secrets in the West End (of New York)
Each song on West End Girl reveals a new secret, truth, lie, deception and hurt. It’s pretty odd to listen to some of these songs as frankly it’s a pretty depressing situation, but the songs themselves are incredibly catchy. “Tennis” for instance, has one of the most well known lines on the album where Lily asks “Who the fuck is Madeline?” that is followed by a fun acoustic guitar lick and Lily’s vocals going “da da dada” to the melody while she questions “who the fuck is Madeline?”. For me, a song that really cut was “Relapse”. Lily Allen’s addiction and sobriety is no secret. It’s difficult to not wince as Allen talks about the safety net and friendships she moved away from to be with Harbour. It’s a heavily melodic song with some older 2010 pop vibes to it, that is catchy as it is raw.
West End Girl is full of these songs. Not a single track holds back. Lyrically, it’s damning. Melodically it’s catchy. Production wise, there’s nothing experimental or too bold here, but this is Lily’s wheelhouse. Creating catchy songs with enticing lyrics. Lily Allen’s pen game here is brilliant, songs like “4chan Stan” and “Pussy Palace” are tongue in cheek in nature, whilst being raw and honest. She’s narratively on point throughout the entire album. There’s no corner of the conversation she’s not afraid to broach. From being distraught at the idea of someone else being with her husband, to the uncomfortable idea of setting up her own dating page when she should be starting the rest of her life with her husband.
Overall
Lily speaks about the trauma, grief, betrayal and outright misogyny that she suffered with vengeful grace. She doesn’t resort to name calling (some of the time) but is rather dead pan and frank about what she has dealt with. She is just as creative and iconic in handling a complete shit storm of a situation. Her vocals stay in my head all day. The Lily Allen aesthetic still holds itself up in a modern day pop album like it never went out of fashion. The production is fun, fresh and honestly sexy considering it’s an album about adultery. West End Girl sparks a vital and cathartic refresh for Lily Allen. I hope we hear from her sooner than later.
