It's been four years since Lily Allen released her sophomore album, and boy, is she back with a vengeance! The British singer premiered the music video for "Hard Out Here" on Tuesday, Nov. 12, which will serve as the first single from her currently untitled third studio album.
In typical fashion, the 28-year-old musician critiques the state of pop culture in her comeback ditty. The video begins with Allen, now a married mother of two, lying on an operating table as a team of plastic surgeons makes "improvements" to her body. "We need some more off her stomach and then maybe some more off her legs," one doctor says.
Simultaneously, a manager-type delivers some bad news regarding her upcoming press tour. "Oh, honey. Letterman says no," he tells Allen, who looks quite like Jessie J in the clip. "What about Kimmel?" the singer asks. Without looking up from his phone, he tells her, "Don't worry; we'll get you fighting fit."
Looking at Allen's body, he then says, "Jesus, how does somebody let themselv'es get like this, huh?"
"A lack of self-discipline, I suppose," one surgeon suggests. "Um, I had two babies," Allen offers.
Seconds later, "Hard Out Here" begins to play. By the second verse, she recites some of the criticisms she's often forced to address as a public figure. "You should probably lose some weight, 'cause we can't see your bones/You should probably fix your face, or you'll end up on your own," she sings.
The chorus is both catch and controversial. "Forget your balls and grow a pair of t-ts," she croons over a bouncy melody. "It's hard, it's hard, it's hard out here for a bitch."
Indeed it is!
As always, Allen incorporates her sarcastic sense of humor in the video treatment. One scene features giant silver balloons that spell out "Lily Allen Has a Baggy Pussy"—a clear shot at Robin Thicke, who used the same prop to tell the world he has a "Big Dick" in his nudity-filled "Blurred Lines" music video.
"Hard Out Here" also features a myriad of scantily-clad women twerking—something one is more likely to see in a Miley Cyrus or Rihanna music video. "I won't be bragging about my cars or talking about my chains," she sings. "Don't need to shake my ass for you because I've got a brain."
The video ends with Allen's dancers licking a Beats Pill speaker box as she deep throats a banana.
Hours before the video debuted, Allen sent out a series of tweets regarding the clip. "Which member of the Cyrus family is currently courting controversy over her twerking antics?" she asked, urging fans to submit their guesses via her official website. "Enjoy!!!! And remember IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR A BITCH!"
Fans seemingly approved of the music video, making Allen emotional. "I am honestly on the verge of tears. So overwhelmed by your feedback," she tweeted. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."