Lily Allen calls 'West End Girl's' success a 'powerful' angry record

Lily Allen acknowledges her widely praised album West End Girl as "a truly furious record."

In her March cover feature with ELLE UK, Allen, 40, discussed with the publication the creation and achievement of her fifth studio album. 

The March edition of ELLE UK is available for purchase starting February 5.

"I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly self-aware album," Allen expressed. "It’s a truly furious album. And it’s a lot more about anger aimed towards others. It’s not really centered on self-reflection."

The British pop artist shared she "was dealing with events occurring during quite a challenging time" while composing West End Girl and used the album as an outlet for her frustration.

"I believe what I discovered about myself is that anger is potent and necessary, and it’s not necessarily negative to express it," she clarified. "In reality, holding in anger is arguably more harmful."

West End Girl, which details the breakdown of her marriage to her former husband David Harbour, captivated listeners with its honest and emotional lyrics. Reflecting on the positive feedback from fans, Allen remarked, "It may not be the best for the soul, but it's certainly beneficial for the self-esteem."

"When I crafted this album, I spent around eight months in complete fear of what the response would be," she confessed.

Following the album's release on October 24, Allen mentioned fans have reached out to her, sharing their personal experiences with infidelity in their relationships.

“It is absolutely unbelievable,” she commented. “In my Instagram messages, I receive numerous stories from women sharing very explicit details. Literally, like, ‘My husband will be engaging in certain activities with me while texting other women.’ It makes me feel terrible."