Lily Allen has unveiled the original ‘West End Girl’ painting at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Check out the videos and footage below.
The piece by Spanish artist Nieves González appears on the cover of the singer’s acclaimed, BRIT-nominated latest album, which was released last autumn. Additional paintings by González also accompany the physical versions of the LP.
Yesterday (Thursday March 19), the artwork was put on public display in Room 30 on the first floor of London’s National Portrait Gallery, where it will remain for one year.
The painting, now owned by Allen, shows the pop star seated against a dark background, wearing a baby blue puffer jacket with white polka dots. The full portrait sees her donning a black dress and black-and-white polka dot boots.
González is known for her classical oil paintings and contemporary reinterpretation of 17th-century portraiture. Her work blends classical techniques with modern aesthetics – such as the style of puffer jacket Allen wears in the painting – a recurring motif in Gonzalez’s work.
The artist has quickly emerged as one of the most compelling voices in figurative painting today, with ‘West End Girl’ marking her first work to be loaned to a major UK public institution.
“I’m so pleased to make this special painting available for everyone to see. Nieves captured the feel of the album so brilliantly and I knew immediately it would make a very strong album cover,” Allen said.
“It seems to me the portrait reflects so many facets of the album – strength, power, vulnerability, determination and confusion, amongst many others – that it acts as a key to the whole listening experience.
“I love it. I’m so pleased to make this special painting available in the National Portrait Gallery, for everyone to see.”
Gonzalez added: “I wanted it to be an intimate and direct image, but also powerful. To show her strength, her wisdom, through the eyes of the contemporary women that we are. That balance between the classical and the contemporary was essential to me.
“This work reflects how art and music come together in the act of creation, with all its layers and facets. The fact that the National Portrait Gallery is going to exhibit this piece is overwhelming.
“This West End girl has become something more than an image, and I feel enormously fortunate to have been part of that journey.”
She continued: “Using the language of the great historical portraits is not about looking back, it’s about claiming that authority and putting it at the service of a new narrative.
Credit: Nieves Gonzales
“The National Portrait Gallery is not just another room. It is the place where a society decides who becomes part of its history. Having this work there is a conversation that goes far beyond me.”
Victoria Siddall, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, commented: “The National Portrait Gallery’s Collection celebrates the people who have shaped our history and culture, and Lily Allen is undoubtedly one of the defining voices of her generation.
“I am delighted to show Nieves González’s extraordinary portrait of Lily on our walls. It is such a striking work, deeply rooted in classical tradition yet unmistakably contemporary, and it has fast become an iconic image. I know it will resonate powerfully with our audiences.”
Allen is currently out on an intimate UK tour, where she is showcasing ‘West End Girl’ in its entirety. The dates will conclude with a three-night stint at the London Palladium, starting tonight (Friday March 20).
This summer, the artist is heading out on a UK and Ireland arena tour to perform the album, marking the biggest headline trek of her career. Find any remaining tickets here.
Allen has been confirmed as the final headliner for Boardmasters 2026. The pop star will also be topping the bill at London’s Mighty Hoopla, with over 35,000 tickets being sold for the event in just 30 minutes. She’ll take to the stage at Bilbao BBK Live in Spain, too.
‘West End Girl’ landed at Number 13 on NME‘s 50 best albums of 2025 list, while the track ‘Pussy Palace’ bagged the Number 21 spot in our 50 best songs of the year feature.
The record was written and recorded over a short period after the breakdown of Allen’s marriage to Stranger Things actor David Harbour, after he allegedly cheated on her. In a four-star review, NME described the project as a “vicious, vulnerable and victorious comeback”. It concluded: “By the end of ‘West End Girl’, it’s clear the relationship in this tale might be over, but Lily Allen’s comeback is just getting started.”
Allen has insisted that ‘West End Girl’ is “not a cruel album”, saying she does not “need revenge”. She explained that making the LP had been “an act of desperation”, and called the collection “a mixture of fact and fiction”. Allen also said ‘West End Girl’ had been inspired by the “storytelling” style of The Streets’ ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’.
The singer was nominated for three awards at last month’s BRITs (Album Of The Year, Artist Of The Year and Pop Act), but did not win any statues on the night.
In other news, Allen has responded to claims of a “smear campaign” being launched against her.
English (US) · 