Lily Allen Claims Having Children ‘Totally Ruined’ Her Pop Career

English singer-songwriter Lily Allen has opened up about what she thinks impeded her pop career. Allen admitted that having kids was an event that "totally ruined" her career, as she prioritized them over work.

The singer-turned-actress noted that her decision was influenced by the fact that her parents were "quite absent" from her life as a child and that she didn't want to repeat the same pattern for her two daughters.

Lily Allen Says Having Kids 'Ruined' Her Pop Career

During a recent conversation on the "Radio Times" podcast, the "Smile" singer opened up about the events that she thinks negatively affected her pop career, per the Daily Mail.

Allen noted that she seemingly "couldn't have it all," as she was faced with the choice of prioritizing her career over her children at the time. She chose to prioritize the latter over the former and has now admitted that they "totally ruined" her career.

"My children ruined my career. I love them, and they complete me, but in terms of pop stardom, they totally ruined it," she shared. "I get really annoyed when people say you can have it all because, quite frankly, you can't."

Allen went on to disclose the reason why she chose to put her children over her career. She recounted how her parents were "quite absent" from her life as a kid and that she didn't want to repeat the sticks in her children's lives.

Lily Allen Doesn't Regret Her Decision

The "It's Not Me, It's You" crooner is the daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. Her parent's marriage hit the rocks when she was only four years old, which she said left her with some "nasty scars."

"Some people choose their career over their children, and that's their prerogative, but my parents were quite absent when I was a kid," she stated. "I feel like it left some nasty scars that I'm not willing to repeat on mine."

She went on to note that she's pretty satisfied with her decision to "step back and concentrate on my children," as "they're pretty well-rounded."

Allen shares two daughters, Ethel Mary, 12, and Marnie Rose, 10, with her ex-spouse Sam Cooper, 45. She now lives in New York with her children and husband, actor David Harbour, whom she married in 2020.

The Actress Previously Lamented 'Neglecting' Her Kids While She Battled Substance Abuse

According to the Daily Mail, Allen previously lamented how she neglected her children while she battled drug addiction and financial troubles.

At the time, her family went through a tough time with Allen forced to go on tour with Miley Cyrus to support her "Bangerz Tour," where she fell into a downward spiral.

During a conversation with DJ Fat Tony on his "The Recovery" podcast, Allen said she wasn't mentally ready to leave her children, and when she did, she began abusing alcohol and drugs.

"I got married when I was 24 and I had a baby, I had a baby who died 10 years ago this month," she shared at the time. "And then I went on to have two successful pregnancies, and then about six months after my youngest was born, we ran out of money, and I had to go back out on the road again. But I was 14st and did not feel like a pop star at all..."

Allen, who is now sober, also weighed in on the impact of her substance abuse on her daughters at the time, saying, "I felt so guilty about neglecting my kids in those early years of their lives and having to go off on tour and misbehaving in the way I was."

Lily Allen To Release New Album

During a February conversation with a fan on X (formerly Twitter), Allen teased that she was working on a new album but didn't specify when the project would be released, per NME.

"Please, when are you making a follow-up to your best LP, 'No Shame?'" the fan asked, to which Allen replied: "I am making it now; I don't know how long it will take, but you will be able to hear some things soon."

Her disclosure came after she revealed that she would be re-releasing her album "It's Not Me, It's You" for Record Store Day 2024.

Allen shared the news on X, writing in the caption, "April 20th," alongside a link to Record Store Day's official website and adding a photo of the new vinyl edition, which comes as a Zoetrope disc.