Who are Lily Allen's 'Madeline' lyrics about? The devastating meaning explained

28 October 2025, 12:40

Who are Lily Allen's 'Madeline' lyrics about? The shocking meaning explained. Picture: Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Frieze, Matt Winkelmeyer/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

By Sam Prance

In 'Madeline', Lily Allen appears to sing about David Harbour cheating on her with someone they know and she spares no details.

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Lily Allen opens up about being cheated on in her heartbreakingly raw 'Madeline' lyrics - but who is 'Madeline' about?

It's official. Lily Allen is back. The beloved British artist released her fifth studio album West End Girl on October 24th and it's arguably her most candid project to date. Recorded in just 10 days, the critically acclaimed record sees Lily explore the dissolution of her marriage to Stranger Things actor David Harbour and she does not hold back.

In the opening track, Lily sings about her husband asking her to open up their marriage and the tracks gradually get darker and more confessional. In 'Tennis', Lily references another woman called 'Madeline' and then she writes a whole song about her. So who is Madeline? Here's what the song is about and what Lily has said about it.

Read more: Why did Lily Allen and David Harbour split? Cheating allegations explained
Read more: How many kids does Lily Allen have? Names, ages and dad revealed

Who is Madeline in the Lily Allen song?

Lily Allen - Madeline (Visualiser)

Who is Madeline in Lily Allen's 'Madeline'?

In 'Tennis', Lily sings about how her husband has broken the rules of their open marriage. Not only is he sleeping with other women but he's also started playing tennis with one of them: 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?

Lily then addresses her husband's mistress in the next song. In 'Madeline', she adds: I know none of this is your fault, messaging you feels kind of assaultive / Saw your text, that's how I found out, tell me the truth and his motives / I can't trust anything that comes out of his mouth.

In the chorus, she implies that they both know Madeline and he was lying: 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.

Impersonating Madeline in the outro, Lily says: I hate that you're in so much pain right now / I really don't wanna be the cause of any upset / He told me you were aware this was going on and that he had your full consent.

Did David Harbour cheat on Lily Allen with Madeline? Picture: Rich Fury/Getty Images

So who is Madeline? While it seems like Lily is singing about her relationship with David Harbour, neither she nor him have said who 'Madeline' is about. However, 34-year-old costume designer Natalie Tippett from New Orleans has come forward and opened up about her affair with David, seemingly confirming she is 'Madeline'.

In conversation with Daily Mail, Natalie said she'd heard the song, however, she added: "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."

When asked whether her private messages had inspired the lyrics, Natalie replied, "Yeah. I just don’t feel comfortable talking about it at the moment."

The mum-of-one has credits for costume design on films such as Five Nights at Freddy's, Tall Girl and The Boogyman. Most notably though, she worked on the 2023 Netflix film We Have a Ghost, starring David Harbour.

People have noticed that David and Natalie follow each other on Instagram.

Lily Allen - 'Madeline' lyrics

VERSE 1 I know none of this is your fault, messaging you feels kind of assaultive
Saw your text, that's how I found out, tell me the truth and his motives
I can't trust anything that comes out of his mouth
No, I can't trust anything that comes out of his mouth

VERSE 2
How long has it been going on? Is it just sex or is there emotion?
He told me it would stay in hotel rooms, never be out in the open
Why would I trust anything that comes out of his mouth?
Oh, why would I trust anything that comes out of his mouth?

CHORUS
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

INTERLUDE
Hey, hе is telling you the truth (Madelinе)
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

VERSE 3
You tell me he's telling the truth, is that the case or a line that he fed you?
I wanna believe you but is it a rouse? Lie to me, babe, and I'll end you
I can't trust anything that comes out of your mouth
I'm not convinced that he didn't f--- you in our house

VERSE 4
Do you two ever talk about me? Has he told you that he doesn't love me?
I bet he tells you, tells you he loves you, I've gotten old, gotten ugly
I wouldn't trust anything that comes out of his mouth
Now, why would you trust anything that comes out of his mouth?

CHORUS
We had an arrangement (An arrangement)
Be discrete and don't be blatant (Blatant)
And there had to be payment (Payment)
It had to be with strangers (Strangers)
But you're not a stranger, Madeline
Madeline, Madeline, Madeline
But you're not a stranger, Madeline

OUTRO
I hate that you're in so much pain right now
I really don't wanna be the cause of any upset
He told me you were aware this was going on and that he had your full consent
If he's lying about that, then please let me know
Because I have my own feelings about dishonesty
Lies are not something that I want to get caught up in
You can reach out to me any time, by the way
If you need any more details or you just need to vent or anything
Love and light, Madeline