Lily Allen’s newest album, West End Girl, recently debuted last week, and everyone’s talking about it. Allen, who is most known for her upbeat, no-nonsense image, uses her newest record to emotionally converse with the public about her separation from Stranger Things actor David Harbour, which occurred earlier this year. Allen and Harbour developed a kindling romance in 2019, and by 2020, they tied the knot in what seemed like a whirlwind romance. Allen’s more popular tracks, like «Smile» and «Not Fair,» take on playful tones. In contrast, other tracks on her newest album, most notably «Madeline,» confront infidelity, betrayal, and heartbreaking loss.

Allen isn’t the first musician with a party girl image to contribute to discourse outside of their usual wheelhouse in recent years. Charli xcx, Kesha, Halsey, and Lorde, among others, have taken the stage to confront hard feelings and abandon their party girl image. In becoming vulnerable, they’re paving the way for new female artists to do the same, because if they don’t, who will?