Paloma Faith started working on her new album ‘The Architect’ before she was pregnant.
The 36-year-old singer gave birth to her first child with her French lover Leyman Lahcine in December last year, and though the star will be dropping her new LP on Friday (17.11.17), she has admitted she was penning tracks well in advance, though welcoming a baby into the world "accelerated" her desire to finish the compilation.
Speaking to Stylist magazine, the ‘Only Love Can Hurt Like This’ hitmaker said: "I took nearly five months [maternity leave]. I went back tot he studio a couple of days a week – I’d started the album before I was pregnant but having a baby sort of accelerated my ambition to finish it.
"I wanted to come back from maternity leave with an album ready to go."
However, Paloma has hinted it was a struggle to juggle motherhood with her career.
She explained: "I was still breastfeeding so the baby would come or sometimes I’d pump and courier milk back to the house. I don’t think I was really recovered until seven months, though.
"And there was very little sleep."
The former ‘The Voice UK’ judge has admitted her time out of the business felt "weird" because she has "never" had a break from creating music.
She said: "It’s been weird because I’ve never had a break before. Taking time out is a luxury I haven’t really afforded myself, partly because I fear it. I’ve had two-week holidays since I put out the first album in [2009] but never anything more because I hate the idea of not being busy or having a purpose. Then maternity leave happened and well, that’s been funny because it’s not a break, is it. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s a real luxury to take that time with your child, but it did not feel luxurious."