4 min read
Lily Allen just dropped West End Girl, her first album in seven years. And, as well as celebrating her epic return and the incredible song writing, there’s one thing her fans cannot stop talking about—who is Madeline?
In case you haven’t listened to the new album yet (do it immediately after reading this btw), Lily, 40, references a woman named Madeline numerous times throughout the album, both in the song “Tennis” and in a song named after her, “Madeline.”
Lily’s new album comes following her split from husband, Stranger Things actor David Harbour, 50. Lily revealed to British Vogue that songs on the album are “inspired by” what happened in her marriage, but are “not gospel.” The couple appeared to break up in 2024 after four years of marriage.
News of the couple’s rumored split came in December last year, after Lily appeared to create an account on celebrity dating app Raya. It was then later reported that Lily had created the account in order to find David’s alleged profile, which was said to be created a month earlier.
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The couple never commented on these allegations at the time, however in an interview with GQ earlier this year in April, David said: “I’m protective of the people and the reality of my life. There’s no use in that form of engaging [with tabloid news] because it’s all based on hysterical hyperbole.”
So who is the mysterious woman Madeline that is featured numerous times in Lily’s new album? Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Madeline in Lily Allen’s new album West End Girl?
A woman named Madeline features in two tracks on Lily Allen’s new album West End Girl. The first time her name is featured is during track 4, “Tennis.
In the song Lily describes feeling neglected after her partner comes home and how she starts to get jealous after seeing a text pop up on the partner’s phone.
The song goes: “I can’t get my head round how you’ve been playing tennis / If it was just sex, I wouldn’t be jealous / You won’t play with me and who’s Madeline?”
Later on in the lyrics she says again: “If it was just sex I wouldn’t be jealous / You won’t play with me and who the f*** is Madeline?” The song ends with Lily asking multiple times who Madeline is.
The next song on the album is titled ‘Madeline’ and deep dives into this mystery woman. It appears to be Lily talking directly to Madeline, in her own ‘Jolene’-esque song.
The lyrics see Lily telling Madeline she knows the situation isn’t her fault and that she probably shouldn’t be contacting her, but she saw a message from her on her partner’s phone. “Tell me the truth and his motives,” she then pleads.
“How long has it been going on? Is it just sex or is there emotion?/ He told me it would stay in hotel rooms, never be out in the open.”
Lily then goes onto describe what appears to be an open marriage arrangement that’s gone wrong: “We had an arrangement / Be discrete and don’t be blatant / There had to be payment / It had to be with strangers / But you’re not a stranger, Madeline.”
The song then features an American voice (not Lily’s), presumably an actor playing Madeline who says their connection with Lily’s partner is just sex.
They say: “Hey, hе is telling you the truth (Madelinе) /Our relationship has only ever been about sex / I can promise you that this is not an emotional connection (Madeline) / We don’t speak outside of the time we spend together (Madeline) /And whenever he talks about you, it’s with the upmost respect.”
The song ends with the same voice speaking, saying they don’t want Lily to be in pain: “I really don’t wanna be the cause of any upset / He told me you were aware this was going on and that he had your full consent / If he’s lying about that, then please let me know / Because I have my own feelings about dishonesty / Lies are not something that I want to get caught up in / You can reach out to me any time, by the way / If you need any more details or you just need to vent or anything / Love and light, Madeline.”
Since the album was released earlier today, fans have been obsessed with Madeline, with many posting on X about the mystery woman.
“‘Madeline’ song on the new Lily Allen album. A Wild West confrontation anthem? I love Lily,’ one person wrote. While another said: “the way tennis ends with ‘no but who is Madeline… actually?’ and leading into ‘Madeline.’ Put your feet up Lily Allen luv you’ve done your best work honey x.”
It’s not clear if Madeline is the name of a real person connected to Lily and is likely a pseudonym. It’s also not confirmed if the conversation with Madeline in the song is something that actually happened in real life or is an imagined conversation for the purpose of the song.
West End Girl is out now.