Grammy-winning synth-pop artist La Roux has announced her return to music after a ten-year hiatus, revealing the personal struggles that forced her out of the spotlight. The London-born singer, whose real name is Elly Jackson, shared the news via an Instagram post on Wednesday, September 16, accompanying the announcement with a clip featuring her breakthrough hit “Bulletproof.”
A Candid Explanation for a Decade-Long Absence
In the tongue-in-cheek video, Jackson addressed her prolonged break directly, stating:
“You think you can hurt me? I literally wrote and sung this song, lost my voice, had a nervous breakdown and disappeared for 10 years.”
The revelation resonated immediately with her fanbase. Commenters flooded the post with support and nostalgia. One user wrote, “I had no clue! Ironically, your music got me through some rough times also. Thank you.” Another declared, “CERTIFIED BANGER. WELCOME BACK.” Jackson herself replied to the thread, hinting at her resilience by referencing her famous lyrics: “this time baby” alongside a folded hands emoji.
Revamped Look and New Album Old Flames
Ahead of the comeback, the 38-year-old artist spoke with Another magazine in August about her physical and artistic evolution. She explained that she ditched her signature quiff because “the engineering involved to actually make it stay up was so intense,” adding that she has been “slowly morphing” over the years.
Her upcoming album, Old Flames, is slated for a November release. Jackson described the project as a reference to relationships and “letting go of the previous version of La Roux.” The record has been a work in progress over several years, born from a difficult period toward the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. She reflected that she was in a “state of stasis” and her “mental health was possibly not the best.”
Heartbreak at the Core of the New Record
The album centers on a “very long, drawn-out and painful breakup” following a relationship that spanned nearly 20 years. Discussing the emotional weight of the material, Jackson said:
“It’s about being free of something that I never really wanted to be free from. But if you don’t know any of this stuff, if you’re just listening to it as a fun pop record, that totally works too. You don’t have to know the deep undertones – it’s pop, not emo.”
Correcting Public Misconceptions
The interview also gave Jackson a chance to address how she was perceived during her initial rise to fame in 2009 with hits like “In For The Kill” and “Quicksand.” She admitted:
“I think people think I’m really harsh. When I first started, I think people thought I was a b**ch. But I was actually just really nervous and quite shy. I was arrogant in lots of ways – it was a messy blend of being terrified but also really sure of myself. Now people are like ‘Oh, you’re really nice and grounded!’ And I’m like…yeah.”
With Old Flames on the horizon, La Roux returns not just as a pop nostalgic act, but as an artist who has navigated a nervous breakdown, vocal loss, and a monumental heartbreak—emerging on the other side with a new sound and a clearer sense of self.
