Singer Lily Allen speaks her mind. Whether in interviews talking about celebrities (she recently described Madonna as “overrated”), or blasting her ex-boyfriends in her songs, this 21-year-old British newcomer tells it like it is. On her debut album Alright, Still, Lily’s assertive attitude makes for some great lyrics. In her first single “Smile,” a reggae-laced pop track, Lily describes herself laughing at an ex that is begging her to take him back. On “Everything’s Just Wonderful,” she sings about the pressure to be thin and “look like Kate Moss,” a subject familiar to any girl. Allen is already a hit in the U.K., and she’s sure to be a success in the U.S. It is refreshing to hear an artist voice her real opinions, instead of ones that have been scrutinized and edited by a publicist. Grade: A-
– Stephanie Butler,
Muse Contributing Writer