Cher Lloyd: ‘I was in a dark place – now I’ve got my spark back’-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

After several years out of the spotlight, Cher Lloyd is back… (Picture: REX/Mila Austin/PA)

‘I’d love to say the past couple of years have been really easy… they haven’t. It’s been hard.’

The world first met Cher Lloyd in 2010 when she was a far more feisty version of the pop star we know today.

Sporting a pair of seriously distressed jeans and the most fierce stage presence, ears pricked up in living rooms across the country as the teen belted out Keri Hilson’s version of Turn My Swag On.

One thing was clear: she certainly had The X Factor.

Fast forward 14 years, and Cher, now 31, has a killer discography to her name, having released two studio albums, collaborated with Demi Lovato, performed with Taylor Swift, and taken home international accolades.

However, reaching this level of global stardom hasn’t been smooth sailing.

She rose to fame with her swagger on The X Factor in 2010 (Picture: Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/Shutterstock)

Cher released her debut album in 2011, followed by Sorry I’m Late in 2014 (Picture: Lorne Thomson/Redferns)

In a new interview with Metro, the Want U Back hitmaker opens up about her latest release and why now feels like the right time to return to music after several years away.

‘I took a long time off. I’ve got two children now, which is crazy to me,’ Cher begins, acknowledging that her last single, Baddest (with Imanbek), dropped in 2021.

She’s celebrating the release of Head Down, a completely unrestrained and unfiltered track that, in Cher’s own words, tells the story of ‘what [she’s] been through’ during her rise to fame.

It’s her 12th single, following in the footsteps of her debut banger Swagger Jagger, emotional ballad Sirens (2014), and sassy anthem None of My Business (2018).

On why it’s taken her so long to return to the music scene, despite fans’ demands for more, she explains: ‘I was signed to a label before, and, as lots of people know, a lot comes along with working alongside a major record label.

‘When I left that label, I just needed to refocus and find my confidence again. I feel like I was in a bit of a dark place with that.’

Cher adds that she’s battled ‘imposter syndrome’ for a while, doubting whether anything she created was ‘good enough’.

The Swagger Jagger hitmaker is now an independent artist (Picture: Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/Shutterstock)

Cher desperately needed to ‘retreat’ from public life (Picture: Instagram)

She’s been focusing on family time and raising her two daughters (Picture: Instagram)

‘I just had to retreat. I spent a few years just in writing sessions and trying to figure out what felt right.

‘I remember the day I wrote Head Down; I just felt like a massive weight had been lifted off me. I’d wanted to say these things for so long, but I just didn’t know how to say them just by speaking; putting pen to paper instead was therapeutic to me.’

Cher had signed her first record deal under Simon Cowell’s label before even turning 18, proceeding to top the charts with her first song.

However, she now admits that creating music in those early days often represented how ‘too many cooks’ can wreak havoc in the kitchen.

‘Sometimes, there were too many cooks, and I felt like I was diluted in a sense,’ she shares.

Now releasing music as an independent artist, Cher states proudly: ‘Right now, being able to release music on my own terms… it feels so much better.

‘Wouldn’t people rather see me for me than see a version that 15 men in suits have decided I should be?’

During her time out of the spotlight, Cher, who married Craig Monk in 2013, has raised her two daughters, born in 2018 and 2023. Consequently, the prospect of throwing herself back into public life again is daunting, to say the least.

‘I still feel really nervous. I don’t know how this is all gonna play out, I’ve got no idea, none of us do, but it’s also really exciting to be in the position to be able to release music, especially independently.’

Irrespective of nerves, however, she’s certain about one thing: Cher has got her ‘spark’ back.

‘Everyone knows after you have babies, it can take you a little bit of time to find your spark again, but I feel like it’s definitely coming back.’

Wouldn’t people rather see me for me than see a version that 15 men in suits have decided I should be?

QuoteQuote

Cher’s latest single, Head Down, marks the beginning of a new era (Picture: Harry Pill)

And for those of you fearing a new Cher Lloyd era means totally discarding all her old hits, you have nothing to worry about. In fact, the woman herself loves to blast them in her kitchen from time to time while cooking dinner.

‘I know it sounds a little bit cringe,’ she confesses, adding that while her teenage self would ‘appreciate the sentiment’ of her new single, she’d still have some harsh opinions to dish out.

So, what does the rest of 2025 look like for Cher, and is she, dare we say it, actually back for good this time? Well, her upcoming EP and burning desire to get back on stage sure suggest such…

‘I have such a large catalogue that’s unreleased. For me, it’s about giving my fans as much content as possible,’ she explains lovingly.

‘I don’t know how it’s gonna work yet; I’m still trying to figure that out, but all I know is that there won’t be large gaps of time anymore between new releases.

‘I feel like, in years to come, I’ll look back on this time like, “Yeah, you could do it! You were more than capable of doing this by yourself”.’

Cher Lloyd’s new single, Head Down, is out now, with an EP to follow later this year.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

Entertainment – MetroRead More