Lily Allen views her music as "the anti-Instagram".
The ‘Not Fair hitmaker believes her records are the opposite of the social media platform, where users present a curated version of the highlights of their lives because she sings about the reality of her situation.
She said: "My albums are, I guess, the opposite of Instagram, where you try and show people the best parts of your life, make them jealous or want to be your friend. My art is the anti-Instagram."
Over the years, Lily has learned the importance of writing songs that she likes, not what will appeal to other people, and it’s made her a much more interested and engaged performer.
She added on BBC Sounds’ ‘Mastertapes Guide to Writing the Perfect Song’: "At first I wanted to write songs that people would like. Now I write songs I like. You have to feel connected to your music. If you’re not, what’s the point?
"It makes the whole job so much easier. I used to be counting down the songs on the set list before I could get offstage. But now I love [playing live]. It just whips by."
Meanwhile, Lily’s brother, Alfie Allen recently admitted he had asked for her 2007 song ‘Alfie’ – in which the 34-year-old star urged her younger sibling to get off his "lazy a**e" and do something with his life – not to be released as a single.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ actor was "entertained" by the song and took the positives from it, but he was happy for it to stay as just an album track on her debut LP ‘Alright, Still’.
He said: "When Lily wrote the song, I was in Canada teaching kids how to snowboard. I was getting a snowboarding qualification. I went on Myspace and listened to it, and I was… entertained. It’s a song about love, isn’t it? She was missing her little bro!
"She was on the rise. She was killing it. I was like: as long as it helps your creative juices flow, then go for it. I just remember asking for it not to be a single – but then obviously record labels don’t give a sh*t what family members think, do they? So that was that."
‘Alfie’ was later released as a double A-side with ‘Shame For You’.