Lulu is done being 'ashamed' of being an alcoholic as she reveals what helps her through each day
Lulu described writing her book, in which she opened up about her alcoholism, as ‘going to hell and back’
Lulu went "to hell and back" writing her revelatory 2025 memoir, If Only You Knew, but she’s happy to have come out the other side, and she’s no longer "ashamed" of her past.
In the book, the Shout singer opened up in detail about hiding her decades long battle with alcoholism before getting sober at a treatment centre in America in 2013. By sharing her issues with drink publicly for the first time, Lulu revealed that she’s closed one chapter of her life.
She shared in a new interview, "Now that I’ve come out and been vocal about being an alcoholic, I’m not proud of it, but I’m not ashamed. Because I was ashamed."
Elsewhere in her new interview with The i Paper, Lulu confessed that, looking back at her career heydays, she does have some regrets. "I was so busy. Today people talk about being present and enjoying the moment. I don’t think I did too much of that."
Still, entering a new era of her life free from shame, there’s something which helps her every day - her faith. She told the outlet, “You have to start praying. I’ve always had tremendous faith.
“I call it spirituality more than religious. Every morning I get down on my knees and thank God for what I have.”
The singer has addressed her alcoholism in the past, previously telling The Times, "I was a secret drinker... It's a family illness. The gene is there."
She added, "The thing about drink is that you become the worst part of who you really are. You can be happy and singing and having fun but that doesn’t last. If you keep drinking, you can become morose. We can become angry."
"I worked so hard to understand this. I finally understood it’s an illness that messes with everything. So I know it sounds perverse, but I’m glad I’m an alcoholic and that I’m in recovery."
Now that she’s faced the demons from her past, Lulu - ever the optimist and full of spark at 77 - is excited about what the future holds, including her brand-new album.
Having something of a comeback, Lulu’s first song in nearly 10 years was an Ibiza-inspired dance track. This zest for life is what’s propelling her forward as she gears up to release her album in January.
She shared, “I’ve struggled with my life, during my childhood, the break-up of my marriages, failures in my career. Music always opened up a new beginning. And this album, it’s been rejuvenating.”
