Lily Allen names new album 'Sheezus'

By August Brown

Feb. 21, 2014 12:01 PM PT

Lily Allen has always had a knack for ribbing guys in her lyrics. Now she’s using her new album to do a bit of the same.

In an interview on the BBC’s “The Graham Norton Show,” Allen said her new album -- her first since 2009 -- would bear the exquisite title of “Sheezus,” a riff on Kanye West’s latest LP.

“It’s a confident title choice,” she said. “And a little nod to Kanye West.”

The album, her third, is the follow-up to “It’s Not Me, It’s You,” which topped charts in Britain and hit No. 5 on the U.S. album chart.

INTERACTIVE: Times music staff best of 2013 list

Allen’s long-awaited comeback was marred by criticism that her video for “Hard Out Here” traded in some demeaning racial stereotypes, which she vehemently denied.

“Sheezus” will include that song as well as other recent singles including “Air Balloon,” which recently got a delightfully cheetah-centric video treatment, and “L8 CMMR.” The latter was a featured cut on the “Girls Vol. 2” soundtrack. Watch the video for “Air Balloon” below.