British music icon Lulu, 76, has publicly acknowledged her struggle with alcohol addiction for the first time, detailing the childhood trauma that underpinned it. The Eurovision star, famous for hits like 'Shout' and 'Relight My Fire', spent years grappling with 'dark' moments and 'shame', which ultimately led her to seek rehab.
In a new interview and her upcoming memoir 'If Only You Knew' (out September 25), Lulu confesses she was terrified of tarnishing her 'squeaky clean' image by admitting to alcoholism, having witnessed her father's own addiction. 'I think I always wanted to be Miss Perfect, the “best Lulu”, and I was terrified of being like my father,' she told The Times.
Lulu recalled scarring childhood experiences, including witnessing domestic violence between her parents and her father being 'dragged away' by police. She says she 'carried so much shame' about their actions, but now sees them as 'damaged' rather than 'bad people'. She believes her alcoholism was 'the culmination of a life spent trying to suppress feelings'.
Now in recovery, Lulu declares she has 'never been happier' and is more in touch with her feelings, which helped her forgive her parents. She explains: 'The thing about drink is that you become the worst part of who you really are... 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.'
Lulu sought professional help after feeling unhappy and 'not good enough', calling her son to say she was entering rehab. Now living in central London with her cockapoo, she continues to sing and perform, having retired from touring last year due to moderate hearing loss. She recently joined Sir Rod Stewart as a surprise guest at Glastonbury 2025.
Since opening up, Lulu has received an outpouring of supportive messages from fans, praising her for helping others. She reflects: 'I’ve had a lot of tough moments. And alcohol came up and bit me on the nose. But if there is one characteristic I now realise I have, it is resilience.'
