Following the arrival of her candid new album West End Girl, Lily Allen says she’s intentionally leaving the past behind.

In an interview with Interview Magazine published October 28, 2025, the British songwriter — who and David Harbour separated earlier this year after roughly four years together — made clear she isn’t seeking vengeance through her music. Much of West End Girl processes the end of that relationship; tracks such as “West End Girl” and “Nonmonogamummy” explore pressure to accept an open relationship and the heartbreak that followed, while songs like “Madeline” and “P—y Palace” grapple with alleged betrayals.

Allen told the magazine that the record captures the rawness of that period: “That’s what’s fun about this record — it’s viscerally like going through the motions,” she said, explaining that writing helped her work through intense emotions. She added that she no longer feels confused or enraged and reiterated, “I don’t need revenge.”

She also revealed how quickly the songs came together. “I wrote this record in 10 days in December,” Allen said, and noted that time and distance have changed her perspective: breakups are brutal, but they don’t define everything that comes after.

Released October 24, 2025, West End Girl is Allen’s first full-length project since her split from the Stranger Things actor. The couple married in an intimate Las Vegas ceremony in 2020 after meeting on the dating app Raya the previous year.

The album has drawn strong reactions online from fans and critics, and Allen reminded listeners that the record mixes fact and invention: “Some of it is based on truth and some of it is fantasy,” she said, adding nuance to songs that read like personal confessionals.

She also spoke candidly about trying to date after a long relationship. Describing modern dating apps, Allen said they can be dispiriting when you’re still missing someone: scrolling through countless profiles often highlights how few people resemble the person you actually want to be with.

Source