Lily Allen confirms 'Madeline' identity and song meaning from album West End Girl
29 October 2025, 14:16
Lily Allen's tell-all track 'Madeline' uncovers an affair between her ex-husband David Harbour and a mystery woman.
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Lily Allen's new album West End Girl exploded onto the music scene in October, marking the British pop star's first LP in seven years.
Fans were blown away by the singer-songwriter's vulnerable songs, most of which chart the breakdown of her marriage to Stranger Things actor David Harbour.
One song entitled Madeline hinted at a steamy affair between her now ex-husband, 50, and one mystery woman, who is mentioned again on the track Tennis.
Listeners grappled for answers, but now Lily Allen, 40, has revealed exactly who Madeline is – here's everything we know about the sad break-up track and who the woman in question really is.
What are Lily Allen's lyrics about Madeline on West End Girl?
Fans were whipped up into a frenzy when they heard the lyrics to Lily Allen's heart-wrenching track Madeline.
It traces the night the pop star discovers her ex-husband David has crossed a boundary in their marriage.
She makes reference to this mystery woman multiple times in the song and even uses her private text messages in the explosive lyrics.
The star tries to get answers by messaging Madeline but never feels right about her replies.
Lily sings:
We had an arrangement / Be discrete and don't be blatant / There had to be payment / It had to be with strangers / But you're not a stranger, Madeline
The next few lines the mysterious Madeline replies, as Lily sings:
Hey, he is telling you the truth (Madeline) / Our relationship has only ever been about sex / I can promise you that this is not an emotional connection (Madeline) / We don't speak outside of the time we spend together (Madeline) / And whenever he talks about you, it's with the upmost respect
She's also mentioned on Lily's track Tennis, in the lyrics:
So I read your text, and now I regret it / I can't get my head 'round how you've been playing tennis / If it was just sex, I wouldn't be jealous / You won't play with me and who's Madeline?
Da, da-da, da-da, who's Madeline? (Who's Madeline?) / Da, da-da, da-da, who's Madeline? (Who's Madeline?) / Da, da-da, da-da, who's Madeline? (Who's Madeline?) / Da, da-da, da-da, who's Madeline? (No, but who is Madeline, actually?)
Who is Madeline on Lily Allen's album West End Girl?
Lily explained that Madeline is a "fictional character" created for her new album West End Girl – but that doesn't mean there's no truth to the storyline.
When asked if she was "a construct of others", Lily replied: "Yes," hinting someone out there almost fits the bill.
The record explores her failed marriage to ex David and their struggles with monogamy, cheating, gaslighting and sex addiction - and it's pretty much all based on truth.
So who is Madeline? Since the track dropped, costume designer Natalie Tippett, 34, has come forward, claiming she was the one who had an affair with Lily's husband.
The two reportedly met on the set of Netflix's 2023 film We Have A Ghost, in which David played the lead.
Rumours say their alleged affair started during filming and spilled over when it wrapped, with the actor flying her to his Atlanta home.
The New Orleans creative recently told the Daily Mail that she had heard the lyrics suspected to be about her, but was worried about the repercussions they could have.
She said: "Of course I've heard the song. But I have a family and things to protect. I have a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, and I understand this is going on. It's a little bit scary for me."
Natalie was also quizzed on whether she had realised her private texts were being used in Lily's songs, to which she replied: "Yeah. I just don't feel comfortable talking about it at the moment."
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