Lily Allen setting up record label

Singer Lily Allen is setting up her own record label after months of complaining about the music industry.

With two hit albums and a host of UK top 10 singles, Allen has been the model of chart success. But the Smile singer has increasingly hinted at her dissatisfaction with the industry.

She said: “I’m setting up a record label at the moment, getting involved in lots of different things.

“I think things need to change in the music industry and we need to rethink a lot of stuff.”

Allen was speaking at the Q Awards in London where she received Best Track for her single The Fear.

She said: “I was genuinely shocked by the way the whole album has been received. I really didn’t assume I’d win. I think when you start making assumptions then that’s when things start going wrong.”

Allen began her career by posting demos on social networking site MySpace, earning her a wide fanbase before she had been signed to a major label. Her songs have since been played through the site nearly 20 million times.

But this year Allen shocked fans by announcing her retirement from the internet, describing herself as a “neo Luddite”.

She said: “I’ve decided to separate myself from that world just as an experiment really – to look at how I consume the things I love in a different way.

“I’ve thrown away my laptop and I haven’t got a Blackberry. I’ve cut myself off and it’s been brilliant so far.”

Strictly Come Dancing has beaten The X Factor to land Lily Allen as a guest singer.

Host Bruce Forsyth revealed the coup when he joked with Saturday’s audience Sir Elton John was “too busy looking for a baby” to appear.

But Brucie turned serious to say former X Factor devotee Lily had agreed to perform on the BBC1 ballroom series – as have Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey and Bette Midler.

It is hoped the star line-up will improve ratings against ITV1′s X Factor, which averaged 11.6 million viewers (13.5m peak) against Strictly’s 8.4 million (9.7m) on Saturday.

X Factor has had Robbie Williams and Whitney Houston.

But a BBC source said: “Lily was wanted by both shows so we’re delighted.”

Itv bosses were already put out that their duo Ant and Dec were at Strictly to see Jo Wood voted off on the birthday of Ant’s show makeup artist wife Lisa Armstrong. Dec laughed: “We sat high up so we weren’t in shot. We aren’t allowed on the BBC.”

Source: Mirror.co.uk.

LILY ALLEN has been going to Glastonbury since she was a nipper.

The singer used to tag along with her actor dad KEITH during his wild partying years and has been a loyal punter ever since.

Now she loves the festival so much she wants to build her own dream country pad with a Mongolian-styleYURT, a tent like the ones she stays in at Glasto, bolted on to the side.

She told Q mag: “My plan is to build a yurt on to the side of my country house.

“You have the house for traditional living and, of course, running hot water and toilets. But the yurt is full of old Moroccan rugs where you hang out.

“I want to feel like I’m at Glastonbury year-round, with a few home comforts next door.

“I want to buy some barn buildings and do them up or buy some land and do a Grand Designs job.”

She has hired a property expert to help her “find the right project rather than buy a country house already tarted up”.

And the newly slimline star, whose track The Fear is up for Best Song at today’s Q Awards, will also rely on new fella SAM COOPER to help.

She says: “He is in the construction business so will be able to tell me when my dreams are unworkable.”

Meanwhile Lily may soon add charity work to her long list of adventures which already includes singing, modelling, acting, jewellery design and property development.

The cricket lover wants to start a charity teaching the game to kids who wouldn’t normally play.

She says: “It’s the perfect game to get angry young kids involved in. It’s very relaxing and centring – and beautiful.

“It has not been sold to them as glamorous.

“But if we could convince them they can make money and have a future with cricket, and that they are all British rather than ostracising them, we should.”

Source – TheSun.co.uk.

Congratulations to Lily on winning a Q Music award for the best track of 2009, which was ‘The Fear’! Lily looked absolutely beautiful as she collected her award at the event, held in London earlier this evening. View photos by clicking the thumbnails below!

Also, Absolute Radio provide this lovely interview with Lily, filmed at the event, where she also confirms she’s not quitting music! Hallelujah! View the video below!

Thanks to Oh-Lily for those pictures!