A surprising performance from the clever lyricist to kick off her first tour in seven years, Lily Allen put on a bold and brave show that blurred the lines of theatre and music
In writing West End Girl, pop star Lily Allen created the album that every scorned woman wishes was theirs. A tour de force of feminine fury. Lily’s subject? Her ex-husband, Stranger Things star David Harbour, and his many alleged betrayals during their four year relationship. Harbour himself has denied reports of his infidelity as “hysterical hyperbole”.
Lily, 40, met David, 50, on celebrity dating app Raya in 2019, and the couple married in Las Vegas in 2020. They separated in early 2025 with rumours swirling of infidelity. Putting pen to paper, Lily wrote and recorded West End Girl in just 10 days, releasing it in October 2025. It’s a divorce album and then some – a real-time account of her anger, shock, confusion and grief as her marriage falls apart.
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The lyrics dissect the diseased relationship in grim and graphic detail, unlike anything we’ve see before, and songs are set to a mix of musical genres, from Spanish-influenced to autotuned dance. Most however are in the softly sung, almost spoken word style she’s known for since first hitting the big time with her single Smile in 2006.
Nominated for album of the year at Saturday night’s Brit Awards, West End Girl narrowly lost out to Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving. The Mirror caught up with Lily after the show, and she simply said of the loss, “I mean…” while comically rolling her eyes. But Monday night in Glasgow belonged to her. Lily performed West End Girl to a live audience for the first time ever – and in full.
Kicking off her first major tour since 2019, it was a one woman show at the 2500-capacity Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Part concert, part theatre, it was raw, exposing, completely compelling – as intimate as it gets. Said Lily: “Thank you for being here. Truly. I wrote this record in late 2025 and I have been looking forward to being in this room, singing these songs for you from the moment they materialised.”
When tickets went on sale to her tour in November last year, they sold out within minutes. On my way up to the venue, someone offered to sell me one for a crisp £500. “I know that it was a challenge securing your tickets,” said Lily. “The fact that you fought and won the tickets war, put on something resembling an outfit, make your way to this venue and are giving me your time and attention for the evening frankly blows my mind.”
Lily is mum to teenagers Ethel and Marnie, whom she shares with ex-husband Sam Cooper. She’s been candid about the challenges of motherhood, even singing in track Dallas Major “I’m a mum to teenage children, does that sound like fun to you?” Successfully transitioning from music to a critically acclaimed West End acting career, Lily earned an Olivier Award nomination for her 2021 debut in 2:22 A Ghost Story, and starred in 2023’s The Pillowman and 2025’s Hedda.
But she’s genuinely surprised to be back on stage as Lily Allen the pop star. I really didn’t think I would get to do this again and I really hope you enjoy what we have put together for you,” said Lily. West End Girl has been a strange cathartic and chaotic thing to bring into the world, like, these songs were written at such a confusing time, I was so angry and upset and humiliated and i just poured it all into these songs. I’m better now, much better and these songs no longer belong to me, they are for anyone that needs them.”
The show began with three female cellists playing Lily’s biggest hits from her extensive back catalogue. A prologue to her present day, of sorts. There was The Fear, Smile, Alfie and more. Predictably, F**k You was the biggest hit, resounding around the concert hall like sounding like the Bridgerton soundtrack, but if the characters were from south London. “Did you like the cellos?” Lily asked the Mirror after the show. Truth be told they were about 10 minutes too long.
When Lily’s short set (West End Girl has a run time of just 45 minutes) began, something quite extraordinary unravelled. Just her, a backing track and a simply staged set with a bed, fridge and chaise lounge, Lily sang her story, and told us the rest with her actions. There were moments of humour, stilettoed legs tumbling out of the fridge. And some of sadness, as Lily fumbled on the floor for a pill bottle during Relapse. Bold, brave and brilliant, it blurred the lines between pop music and theatre. It was Lily Allen the musical.
Cheating allegations pepper West End Girl’s lyrics, most notably in the salacious Pussy Palace which follows the story of Lily dropping off clothes at her ex’s apartment, having recently kicked him out, only to discover a collection of condoms and sex toys. Lily performed this one on a messy bed, dressed in burgundy patent hot pants, kicking off red soled heels to writhe on the covers.
Elsewhere, in Madeleine, she confronts the woman she suspects of having an extra marital affair with her husband, accusing the pair of violating the terms of their open marriage, singing, “We had an arrangement, be discreet and don’t be blatant. There had to be payment, it had to be with strangers… but you’re not a stranger Madeline.”
Speaking recently, Lily said cryptically, “There are things that are on the record that I experienced within my marriage, but that’s not to say that it’s all gospel. It is inspired by what went on in the relationship.” True or not, the crowd were on Lily’s side, yelling “f**k him” at regular intervals throughout, causing the singer to momentarily break character to smile.
Lily’s voice was on fine form. And as the show progressed she seemed to visibly relax and begin to enjoy herself. It was her first time on stage since performing with Olivia Rodrigo at Glastonbury in 2022. After the show, she told us, “I was very nervous. But I did have fun.” And so did we. Raw, unflinching and unwaveringly vengeful – it was a masterclass in female rage.
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