Paloma Faith: Long-term relationships aren’t ‘easy or that natural’

Andrew Kimber/Overdue
Lizzie Edmonds @lizzieedmo10 November 2020

Paloma Faith has spoken about finding long-term relationships “difficult” and suggested people are not supposed to “be with the same person for life.”

The singer, 39, questions whether being with one partner for life is “in our nature” or whether it is something humans do because of “societal expectation” in the latest edition of Overdue magazine.

Faith is in a long-term relationship with artist Leyman Lahcine, with whom she has a daughter, three. 

She is currently pregnant with her second baby - which was conceived after several rounds of IVF.

Before Lachine, she was married to Rian Haynes, a chef, between 2005 and 2009.

Paloma Faith in Overdue
Andrew Kimber/Overdue

London-born Faith said: “Humanity has decided that we’re meant to be with the same partner for life and actually it isn’t that easy or that natural. 

"The question is, is it forced upon us by societal expectation or is it truly in our nature?”

"Youth" - Screening - BFI London Film Festival - VIP Arrivals
Paloma Faith with partner Leyman in 2015

She added: “To remain with the person you love is difficult; it can be very dividing and not all relationships survive the first few years after having a child. It’s about a conversation, in terms of artistry, and this album is something different for me.”

She said the album, which is to be released on 13 November, was “honest” - adding her relationship with both her partner and her child feature in the work.

Overdue magazine
Andrew Kimber/Overdue

The BRIT Award nominee said: “My USP is the fact that I am brutally honest; some people find it shocking and some people find it liberating.  

"And I feel like this album will do both of those things – there are songs where I talk about how unbearable it is to be with my partner but I will still stay with him and there are songs where I talk about my child and I say things that aren’t sentimental.”

She added: “I wrote the lyrics: ‘All the joy and all the chaos I see in your eyes that life brings, those infinite things,’ because being a mother isn’t just idyllic and perfect, you sacrifice a lot.”

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