The Ivors Interview - Lily Allen

“What I really care about is my writing.”

Lily Allen – as she was known then – won a hat-trick of Ivor Novello Awards in 2010. Together with songwriting partner Greg Kurstin, she picked up the Songwriters of the Year prize, plus Best Song Musically and Lyrically and PRS for Music Most Performed Work for The Fear. After a few years away from singing, she’s currently working on her third album while bringing up her two young children and running her record label, In The Name Of.

What are your memories of The Ivors in 2010?

It was all a bit of a blur to be honest. I was so overwhelmed I just drank a lot! The Ivors was one of the first award ceremonies that I got taken to by my publishers when they signed me – before I went to anything like the BRIT Awards. I remember feeling like I shouldn’t be there with all the amazing people in the room – I felt like a bit of a fraud, I suppose. So to go back three or four years later and win three awards was just mindblowing.

You gave quite an emotional speech that day…

Yeah. I did feel lost at that particular time within the music industry; so much of it is about how you look, what dress you’re wearing and all that rubbish. And, while I do care about all that in some ways, what I really care about is my writing. To be recognised for that did suddenly make me feel like, “Ah, it doesn’t matter that I’m short and dumpy and wear stupid clothes sometimes. What matters is that these people who also write songs think that I’m alright at it”.

Do you enjoy the collaborative element of songwriting?

I couldn’t do it without other people to be honest. I don’t have the musical capabilities and I really need to have that other person in the room, to bounce ideas off, and also to read their facial expressions when I sing something stupid. There have definitely been raised eyebrows at certain lyrics and I’ve gone “I’ll just redo that one! I’ll find another rhyme!” Greg [Kurstin] is not easily shocked either, so they must have been bad!

Who are your main songwriting influences?

From a storytelling point of view, Bob Dylan and Mike Skinner would be two people that I’m – not influenced by – but inspired by. In terms of influence, I tend to reference whole genres rather than actual artists. When it comes to making my music I think, “Let’s make a disco-sounding record today, or a country-sounding record”, it’s not, “Let’s do Jerry Lee Lewis or Johnny Cash”.

Has becoming a parent changed your approach to songwriting?

So much of what I do is social observation and came from conversations I’d have with people at 4 o’clock in the morning on a big night out. Now, the only conversations I have are with two human beings that actually can’t even talk back! So I’m definitely trying to find inspiration from somewhere else.

Are you working with Greg again on the new album?

I have done, but logistically it’s quite difficult ‘cos he’s got two young kids and so do I; he lives in LA and I live in London or Gloucestershire. We’re going to try and put more time in in New York, meet halfway.

And how’s the new album coming together?

Pretty good. If all goes well I could have it out by Christmas. Or it might take a bit longer than that. But let’s not talk about that! It’ll be ready when it’s ready.

Don’t take too long. People are waiting for you to save pop music…

Well, I can’t do that with a half-arsed album. You have to be patient, these things take time. You’ll definitely only get fully-arsed from me!