Lily Allen: “I love my children but they totally ruined my career”

nme.com:

Lily Allen has reflected on how starting a family impacted her as a musician, saying that while she loves her children they did “ruin” her career.The chart-topping British singer and actor opened up about the topic during a new interview with the Radio Times Podcast, sharing the difficulties of maintaining a career while having a family.During the discussion, she spoke candidly about how she prioritised raising her two daughters – 11-year-old Ethel Mary and nine-year-old Manie Rose – over trying to chase fame in her career.Recalling how having children impacted the trajectory of her music and acting jobs, Allen said: “I never really had a strategy when it comes to career, but yes, my children ruined my career.”“I love them and they complete me, but in terms of pop-stardom, they totally ruined it,” she added, also telling the outlet that being a parent and a pop star “does not mix”.“It really annoys me when people say you can have it all because, quite frankly, you can’t,” she continued, also explaining how her parent’s style of looking after her also impacted the way she wants to raise her own children.“Some people choose their career over their children and that’s their prerogative, but my parents were quite absent when I was a kid,” she said. “I feel like that really left some nasty scars that I’m not willing to repeat on mine.