No Shame is the fourth studio album by English singer Lily Allen. It was released on 8 June 2018 by 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 began in Los Angeles in 2015 before Allen set up her own studio in London and continued recording through until 2018. The sessions featured contributions from producers such as Fryars and Mark Ronson, whilst the final track listing featured 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 generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the album's mature lyrical content and themes, Allen's artistic evolution, the composition and production. The album peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart, it reached the top 40 on the New Zealand and Irish charts and became Allen's fourth consecutive top 10 album in Australia. To promote the album, Allen released three singles including "Trigger Bang" and embarked on the worldwide No Shame Tour.
Background
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 begun 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 number 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 would not.
Allen has described the album as a backlash to tabloids and public discourse about her, saying that it is "taking ownership of [her] narrative and presenting it in musical form". The album's writing was influenced by the breakdown of her marriage with Sam Cooper, and the effect of a long-term stalker on her. Allen isolated herself from her friends, whom she says sided with Cooper in the divorce, and used No Shame as a creative outlet.
Writing and recording
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".