British music icon Lulu, 76, has spoken publicly for the first time about her battle with alcohol addiction, revealing the childhood trauma that underpinned it. The Eurovision star, best known for her 1964 hit 'Shout' and later 'Relight My Fire', said she spent years facing 'dark' moments and battling 'shame', which ultimately led to a stint in rehab.
In a new interview, Lulu confessed she had been terrified of tarnishing her 'squeaky clean' public image by admitting to her drinking, having previously disclosed her father's own alcoholism. She opens up further in her memoir, 'If Only You Knew', published on September 25. '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 detailed scarring moments from her upbringing, including witnessing violent domestic abuse between her parents and seeing her father 'dragged away' by police. She said she 'carried so much shame' about their actions but now recognises they were 'damaged' rather than 'bad people'. She believes her alcoholism was 'the culmination of a life spent trying to suppress feelings'.
Now in recovery, Lulu declared she has 'never been happier' and is 'more in touch with my feelings', which helped her forgive her parents. 'The thing about drink is that you become the worst part of who you really are,' she explained. '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 realising she 'wasn't happy' and called her son, Jordan Frieda, to say she was entering rehab. She now lives in central London with her cockapoo and continues to sing and perform, despite retiring 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 supportive messages from fans praising her for 'helping so many people'. She added: '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.'
