Lily Allen

Singer Lily Allen made a considerable splash on the U.K. music scene with her debut album, Alright, Still (2006), which charmed as many listeners as it dismayed with its fresh, upbeat retro-pop/ska sound and the singer's brash vocals, which she delivered in an unapologetically thick Cockney accent. The record and its lead singles, "Smile" and "LDN," immediately minted Allen as the latest in a long line of outspoken British musical performers whose success on the charts was matched and occasionally outshined by their off-stage churlishness, which included rude comments towards other performers and bouts of drunkenness. She remained on top with the release of her second CD, It's Not Me, It's You (2009), but Allen appeared to have a change of heart regarding fame, eschewing the spotlight for motherhood in 2011. She announced a possible return in 2012, which generated a wave of excitement from fans on both sides of the Atlantic, underscoring Allen's status as one of England's most well-loved if cheekiest pop performers.