Photo Credit: Thesupermat / CC by 3.0
Lily Allen says Warner Music UK failed to take any action after she told them she was sexually assaulted.
Allen revealed on The Next Episode podcast that she had spoken to a Warner Music exec about the attack. Reports suggest the alleged attacker continues to work with Warner. Allen says she never reported the attack to police and believes “most of the music industry knows who it is.”
The singer revealed in the podcast that the sexual assault took place on a trip to the Caribbean in 2016. She stated she was at a party with a record industry executive and they headed back to her hotel.
“We got to my hotel. I couldn’t find my room keys. So he was like, ‘Well, why don’t you sleep in my bed while I go and get the keys or whatever.’ So I passed out in his bed. I woke up and he was in my bed naked slapping my bum.”
When asked why she didn’t go to the police, she said she wanted to keep it quiet.
“I remember thinking about his mum and how she would deal with the news that her son was a sexual predator and I was prioritizing everybody else in this situation except for myself.”
It wasn’t until the #MeToo movement got underway that Allen decided to share her experience. She first wrote about the attack in her book — My Thoughts Exactly —which was first published in September 2018.
Later that year she says she met with Max Lousada, CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group & Chairman and CEO of Warner Music UK, to discuss the alleged assault.
According to her, Lousada didn’t know of the alleged assault until reading her book. When asked if Lousada took action after hearing the allegation, Allen confirmed he hadn’t.
Lily Allen has been signed with Warner since 2013, though she is currently working on the last album for the label. Warner Music says the allegations are appalling and “we’re very focused on enforcing our Code of Conduct and providing a safe and professional environment at all times.”