Back in 2009, following the release of her sophomore album It’s Not Me, It’s You, British pop singer Lily Allen announced her hiatus from music. In the ensuing years, she’s gotten married (and changed her name), had a couple babies, dabbled in a bit of acting, launched a record label, made a couple one-off concert appearances, changed her name back, and even pretended to be an alien.
More recently, though, Allen has been slowly reviving her career: late last year, she announced work on a new album, and then made her live return at a Paris fashion show back in February. Today, she returns with her first new solo song in four years.
As part of a new Christmas advert for British department store chain John Lewis, Allen has recorded a cover of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know”. Sounding as adorably spunky and British as ever, Allen updates the slow-moving ballad with an infusion of pep, turning it from slightly mournful to more of an outright and uplifting ballad. Paired with the animated tale of a rabbit helping his hibernating bear friend celebrate Christmas, Allen’s little ditty reaches cheek-pinching levels of utter sweetness. Watch the commercial below.
Allen’s third album is tentatively due out sometime next year.
