Lily Allen has been to Dubai for work once before, although it seems like an age — and a career — ago.
In 2011 she was here to launch her fashion line. This Friday, her UAE fans will finally get a chance to see her perform, something that not so long ago, it seemed she would not do again.
The Smile singer had gone into semi-retirement after her 2010 miscarriage — she’s now mum to two daughters, Ethel and Marnie Rose, with her husband Sam Cooper — and said she had no plans to release another album.
Then again, given her talent for words and tunes, and her habit of always having something to say about what’s going on around her, how could she stay away from the recording studio — or off the stage?
Cue the “mumback”.
Allen picked up where she left off, four years after her last album, It’s Not Me, It’s You, putting out Sheezus and its first track, the rap-sampling Hard Out Here. Although the song grabbed plenty of headlines with its music video, seen by some as racist, Allen was said to have been disappointed with the album rollout, and made her next move: Getting new management, just last month.
Has this changed her work? “We’ll have to wait and see... so far, very very good!” she said.
tabloid! caught up with Allen ahead of her headlining slot at What’s On Party In The Park, just as she was wrapping up a successful tour of the US.
Where are you right now and what’s planned for the rest of the day? What are you most looking forward to in the next 24 hours?
I am in LA at the moment and have been for a couple of weeks. I’m looking forward to going to eat waffles and fried chicken at this great place my friends and I found.
It looks like you loved your US tour. How important is being on stage for you? What’s the most enjoyable part of being a musician?
Getting to be on stage and be myself and communicate with my friends, I often get distracted having chats with my audience and my band get bored waiting for me to finish.
What can we expect from your Dubai show? Is it part of your tour or will it be a standalone show with a different format?
It’ll have similarities and differences I suppose. I’ll obviously have the same amazing new band as I did for the US tour, maybe some slightly less revealing outfits.
How do you prepare for a tour? Are there any downsides for you?
Yes of course there are, as there are with anything, the main one obviously [is] leaving my home and husband and children, although they quickly came out to join me for most of my US tour. To be honest I loved the US tour so much, I’m excited to be back with my crew and band and in front of my fans and this trip is only for a few days, I think it will be pure excitement the day before.
Are you working on new music?
Wait and see.
You’re known for sampling very interesting musicians. Whose work are you loving right now and can you recommend to us any tracks?
I love Jhene Aiko, I covered her song The Worst in my US tour, she’s really great.
Finish this sentence: This winter I will mostly be wearing…
Some amazing vintage clothing that I found in a tiny vintage shop on the outskirts of Montreal.
