Musician Lily Allen Dishes on How Motherhood Has Negatively Impacted Her Career

The 38-year-old singer-songwriter, who released her latest album in 2018, has two daughters.

Lily Allen.Mike Marsland/Getty Images

While on a new episode of the Radio Times podcast, English singer-songwriter Lily Allen talked motherhood and and how raising her two children has impacted her career. 

“I never really had a strategy when it comes to career, but yes, my children ruined my career,” Allen said with a laugh. “I mean, I love them and they complete me, but in terms of like, you know, pop stardom, totally ruined it.”

The “Smile” singer shares her two daughters, Ethel and Marnie, with her ex-husband, Sam Cooper. Allen married Stranger Things star David Harbour in September 2020. 

“It really annoys me when people say you can have it all because, quite frankly, you can’t,” Allen continued of prioritizing work and motherhood. “And you know, some people choose their career over their children and that’s their prerogative, but you know, my parents were quite absent when I was a kid and I feel like that really left some like nasty scars that I’m not willing to, you know, to repeat on mine and so I chose stepping back and concentrating on them and I’m glad that I’ve done that because I think they’re pretty well-rounded people.”

Allen welcomed Ethel in 2011 and Marnie in ’13, and released her forth studio album, No Shame, in 2018. She is currently at work on a new podcast called Miss Me? with her lifelong friend, media personality Miquita Oliver. The first episode drops on podcast platforms on Thursday, March 14.