No Shame

No Shame is the fourth studio album by English singer and songwriter Lily Allen, released on 8 June 2018 through Parlophone. Following the release of Sheezus (2014), Allen suffered from an identity crisis and did not connect with the music she had been creating. This was followed by a breakdown in Allen's marriage. Following Allen's divorce, she began working on new music which saw her writing about things that she had been affected by including the relationship with herself, her children, her ex-husband and substance abuse. Recording for the album took place from 2015 through until 2018 and featured contributions from producers such as Fryars and Mark Ronson, as well as guest appearances from artists including Giggs, Burna Boy and Lady Chann.
An electropop album, No Shame takes influence from dancehall and reggae, and features confessional lyrics that discuss the breakdown of Allen's marriage and friendships, maternal guilt, substance abuse, along with social and political issues. Upon release No Shame was met with positive reviews from music critics, who praised the album's mature lyrical content and themes, Allen's artistic evolution, the composition and production. Allen is set to promote No Shame with an international supporting tour in mid-2018, and further supported the album with the release of the lead single "Trigger Bang".
Background
My last album didn't really feel like that, I think I had an identity crisis as a result and it was a place I didn't like being in at all. Pretty much everything – I didn't like the clothes I was wearing, the songs that made it as singles...like everything!
“”
— Lily Allen, on the album's conception and her struggle with her identity.
Following the release of Sheezus (2014), Allen had an "identity crisis", and did not enjoy the music she was releasing, her new image and believed that people within the music industry were controlling her musical choices and directions. Allen mentioned on the podcast News Roast that she had began working on a new album, which would mainly deal with herself, her relationship with her children, the breakdown of her marriage, substance abuse, etc. During the same interview Allen revealed that her follow up to Sheezus would be much more personal, revealing that some songs would feature themes of social commentary, but most songs would deal with her personal life and the breakdown of her marriage. Allen also revealed that some songs would have political undertones but she was struggling to find the balance of creating such songs with "catchy" melodies.
When conceiving the album Allen wanted to work through her problems via music. Allen decided to do this because she felt that people are often led "by outside forces" when they are trying to express themselves, this is something she wanted to explore when creating No Shame. When developing the album, Allen wanted to explore the ways humans interact. Allen stated that humans often work through issues and problems by talking, stating that is what music does for her, she aimed to share personal issues in order to connect with people, rather than "connect with algorithms." Allen continued to state that she wanted to explore people's fear of expressing themselves, due to the repercussions. Allen aimed to create the best album she could, by limiting the amount of people who were involved in the process. Lily did not want people telling her what they believed was right and wrong, and what was going to work for radio and what wouldn't.
Writing and recording
Recording of the album began in 2015 in a rented house in Los Angeles. During her stay in Los Angeles Allen worked on "Family Man" and "My One" with Mark Ronson (pictured).
In 2015, Allen and Fryars began writing songs for No Shame in a rented house in Los Angeles. Allen then set up her own studio space in London, where the majority of the album was made. She worked with Mark Ronson and Ezra Koenig on "My One". Mark Ronson, whom Allen had previously worked with on her debut album, praised the studio sessions and her vocals, stating Allen had been writing some of her "best songs", and calling it some of her most "honest and heartbreaking music ever".
Upon returning to London and setting up her studio space, Allen began associating with British Grime artist Giggs. Allen stated that her friendship with Giggs helped her "find her feet" during the albums initial recording process. After Allen's performance at V Festival, she traveled to Giggs' studio where she played him songs from No Shame, whilst Allen was there Giggs wrote a verse for the song "Trigger Bang". When writing and recording the albums ballad songs such as "Family Man", "Three" and "Apple" Allen wanted to write in a much more truthful manner than her previous record. In contrast to her previous records, which focused on observations of other people, in "No Shame" Allen wished to turn the observation inward and be much more self-reflective.
Allen and her ex-husband share custody of their children; when her children were with her ex-husband she would go to the studio and work on the record. Allen stated that she often found it "difficult to articulate how I'm feeling about things, but I do find it easy  the medium of music. It’s cathartic. I'm happy  -- I'm enjoying myself." Allen chose not to work with long time producer Greg Kurstin, as she wanted to be independent and show that she could make a good record without him. Allen stated that when recording "No Shame" she was "forced to look at everything around me after the last album campaign." Feeling that her previous album was rushed, she wished to work without time constraints. Allen delivered the whole album to the label once it was finished rather than delivering scores to the label, as she did with previous albums. Prior to the album's release Allen also stated that she felt that the album would be a "commercial disaster". Elaborating on this, Allen said that she no longer cared for creating radio songs "manufactured with euphoric choruses and monstrous drops" and was more interested in creating music she enjoyed, which she believed would hinder her commercial success.