Lily Allen Opens Up About 'Retreating' After Stillbirth Of Her Son

English singer-songwriter and actress Lily Allen has spoken about taking a back seat following the challenging circumstances she's had to go through. 

In a chat with Hunger Magazine, Allen said she is "done being at the forefront" as she never "managed to reconnect" following her son's stillbirth.

She also discussed her decision to transition from music into acting, noting that the latter makes her "f**king alive again" but isn't completely ruling out a return to singing.

Read on for more details.

In a candid revelation, the "Smile" hitmaker recently opened up about her struggles coping with the devastating loss of her stillborn son, the traumatic stalking ordeal she faced, and her alleged sexual assault.

Allen, 38, known for her unfiltered honesty, said that she's "done being at the forefront" as she grapples with the profound grief that has permeated her life. She revealed that she never "managed to reconnect" after she lost her son before meeting him in 2010.

"People may think I'm retreating, but I'm done being at the forefront," she told Hunger Magazine. "There was the stillbirth of my son, the stalking incident, the sexual assault."

She added, "felt myself leave my body when they happened, and I don't think I've ever managed to reconnect."

Allen and her then-partner Sam Cooper faced the tragic loss of their son, who was stillborn at six months. The experience was undoubtedly traumatic for the couple, and she has since spoken about the immense pain and emotional toll it has had on her life.

Amid her struggles, the "It's Not Me, It's You" crooner has explored new creative avenues by shifting her focus from music to acting.

Speaking to Hunger, Allen shared her thoughts on the career switch, "Theatre and playing to big crowds gets the adrenaline going... I'm like, 'Oh, I'm f**king alive again' - it's addictive."

She added, "I feel like I have done everything I wanted to do in my career, and I do feel like I won at being a musician, but that being said, I can't just be making packed lunches and ferrying kids to activities forever."

"I'll do it for a few months, and then I'll have to stick my teeth into something. Plus, I think it's healthy for them to see me doing something else," she noted.

While Allen may be venturing into the acting world, she emphasized that this does not mean she is abandoning music entirely.

"I'm not saying I'm never gonna make music again," she affirmed. "But with acting, especially theatre, something truthful happens at the moment, and when I write music, I think about how people will receive it."

According to The Guardian, the "Alright, Still" singer recently disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) while in the US and had to shut down social media because of the diagnosis.

Allen said, "I've just been diagnosed with adult ADHD. I've had to completely switch off social media because it can be hours of my day gone as soon as I look at it."

However, she added that she's not surprised by the diagnosis as it has been a common trait in her family.

"It runs in my family. And it [the diagnosis] is only because I'm here in America, where they take these things slightly more seriously than they do in England," she said.

"I went to see someone, and they said: 'Have you ever thought about this?' And I said: 'Well, yes, I have.'"

The singer celebrated an inspiring four years of sobriety and teased a complete overhaul in her lifestyle. Allen's battle with addiction was no secret, as she had always been open about her struggles with alcohol abuse. However, in recent years, she made a courageous decision to confront her demons head-on and embark on a sobriety journey.

"It is weird. My life has changed so much," she said during a "This Morning" interview per Daily Mail.

Elsewhere on the show, Allen also commented on her appearance in the comedy-drama series "Dreamland," noting that the show felt "light" and "positive" but that it wasn't how her life felt.

"It's my way into acting, and it feels authentic with the female cast. The energy in the room was so kind and generous, and it didn't hit me it was because there were no men," she shared. "From live music, it is so male-heavy; men construct the sets, etc., when you're traveling, and it was nice to experience something different," the actress added.