Lily Allen is reflecting on how much her life on the road has changed since giving up drugs and alcohol.
In a recent interview with The Cut, the 41-year-old musician shared what it feels like to hit the road in support of her latest album, West End Girl, completely sober.
“It’s … different because I’m not drunk and high, which I always have been in the past when I’ve been onstage,” Allen said. “This is the first tour that I’ve done sober.”
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A New Post-Show Routine
Allen has been sober since 2019, but now that she’s back on the road, she’s had to relearn how to fill her time. She joked that backstage “doesn’t feel very rock and roll” compared to the party atmosphere of her 20s.
“Like, we come offstage, and we play Monopoly. And sometimes I get into my pajamas, and I just go straight into the car and back to my hotel room,” she continued.
She admitted a small part of her occasionally misses the “post-show celebrations,” but she doesn’t miss the aftereffects of her old lifestyle one bit.
Leaving Hangovers Behind
“I really don’t miss the f—ing hangovers and getting to the airport the next day with a pounding head and having to wear sunglasses and stinking of alcohol,” Allen said.
Trading those rough mornings for early bedtimes has ultimately given her the space to focus on her real priorities.
“I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on where I am and what my role is in the world and not necessarily where I’m heading, but I also don’t feel the need to control everything,” she added. “I can just live in it and enjoy the good bits and not be too perturbed by the bad bits.”
Skipping the showbiz party scene also means she can balance her career and be a present mom to her two teenage daughters, who are 13 and 14.
“My life is pretty good, you know? I’ve done really well this year,” Allen concluded. “I’ve gotten myself into a place where I’m financially stable and self-sufficient. I’m setting a good example for my kids. I’m eating well. I’m going on nice holidays. I’m booked, and I’m busy. How could I not be hopeful?”
