Paloma Faith: It was difficult to stay with my partner after giving birth

Faith said their relationship was pushed to the limit 
Struggle: Paloma Faith with her partner Leyman Lahcine
Dave Benett
Emma Powell15 November 2018

Paloma Faith has revealed the strain that the birth of her child placed on her relationship with partner Leyman Lahcine.

The singer and the French artist welcomed their first baby together in 2016. After speaking publicly of her trauma during and after the difficult premature birth, she told A-list how it pushed their relationship to the limit.

“I feel like my relationship has been challenged in a way I never thought it would be," she said. “I thought we were completely infallible, but it turns out that it is difficult to stay with someone while having a child with them. But you do come out the other side.”

Faith, 37, who has kept the child’s gender secret, addresses the strain of parenting on new album The Zeitgeist Edition — an extension of 2017’s The Architect — out on Friday.

Making it through: Paloma Faith had to rebuild her life after becoming a mother
Dave Benett

She reveals she felt she had to rebuild herself after giving birth. “It’s a strange thing to experience.

“My whole being revolves around my work, validation from the public and approval of other people. When you have a kid you close the doors and you’re in this private place and I felt like I lost myself.”

Faith said “mummy-shamers” who criticised her after she turned to Mumsnet for advice didn’t help: “I was feeling guilty thinking, ‘Oh my God I’m a bad mother,’ but now the hormones have passed and I’m not as sensitive so I think, ‘F*** you.”

The singer, whose hits include Picking Up The Pieces, is currently filming Batman prequel Pennyworth, in which she plays villainous Bet Sykes. She likened her role in the show, on TV network Epix, to therapy, joking she gets to let loose every day.

“I’m really enjoying it,” she said. “It’s very satisfying now that I am a parent. You’re always expected to be kind and patient when you’re a parent and now I can go on set and be this horrible piece of work — it’s quite nice.”

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