UK pop star Lily Allen brings glamor to Stubb’s Sunday. Stylish, outspoken, the 29-year-old singer remains a reliable hitmaker behind “The Fear,” “Hard Out Here,” and “F*** You.” Married to Sam Cooper, a builder and half brother of Tarka Cordell, Allen phoned in to say she’s “thrilled” to be back out on the road behind her third LP, May’s Sheezus.
Her father, actor/comedian Keith Allen, who once opened for the Clash, wrote “World in Motion” for New Order. Mother Alison Owen remains a respected UK film producer. Lily left school for good at 15.
In music, she found a comfortable skin. Her first single, “The Smile,” became a top seller on iTunes in 2006, was nominated for a Grammy, and landed on the Billboard Top 20. From the start, she was an open book via her blog on MySpace and remains a natural for social media.
Austin Chronicle: How do you spend your time on tour when you’re not playing?
Lily Allen: In between shows I like to to sit in my hotel room and listen to music. I’m also really into culture and I’ll often also go and see a museum or art exhibition.
AC: You’re a mother of two. How has that influenced your music?
LA: I’m happier than ever. Motherhood has changed my life overall and definitely my process. Before, I had as many hours in the day as I wanted to write songs, and now I need to get back for tea time and bath time and that kinda thing. When I write, I just have to write quicker.
AC: What music influences you?
LA: I’m into Cajun, country, rock, and soul. I really like urban music, because the Streets were a massive influence on me, garage, and underground music. Lately, I’ve been listening predominantly to hip-hop and rap.
AC: What made you decide to drop out of school at such a young age and pursue music?
LA: I like to keep on the move, really. I’m a very active person and I felt bored at school. I kinda knew that any career I was going into wasn’t going to require a university degree, so as soon as I got an opportunity to get out I did. Then I started writing music.
AC: How did you meet your husband, Sam Cooper?
LA: We met when I was 15. We were just part of the friend group that I was hanging around with at the time. We were friends for many years after that, and then it wasn’t until I was 25 that we got together. Now we live in the country with our two children, Ethel and Marnie.
AC: What are your thoughts on streaming and social media?
LA: I think that we’re in a transitional period in the music industry, a transition happening from people buying music and in whatever form, from vinyl and CDs to people actually not even buying music and just streaming it. I listen to music almost exclusively on Spotify now. I feel like it’s just letting go of the old and bringing in the new.
I think some people are more comfortable with that than others. It’s a tricky time, but I think it’s exciting. I think it’s time to start thinking outside of the box.
This article appears in September 12 • 2014.