14 December 2009

American visa issues stand between Lily Allen and country album

British pop singer Lily Allen has revealed that she wants to make country album, if only she can get an American Visa.

Allen, 24, has been reported as desperate to work with producer Joseph “T-Bone” Burnett in the country music capital of American, Nashville.

Unfortunately, Allen faces difficulties obtaining an American visa as she was denied entry into the country in 2007 after she was arrested on allegations of assault in the UK.

American Immigration authorities revoked her American Visa in August 2007 after detaining her for five hours at LAX and questioning her over her arrest in March that year for an incident with a photographer in London.

She had flown to the US from Australia to attend the MTV video music awards launch in Las Vegas.

Allen has been inspired by the sounds of the Grammy-winning record Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, which Burnett produced.

"I love the whole folky and bluegrass sound. I'd love to do an album like that. I could see myself doing an album with T-Bone Burnett," she said.

"A mix of Britpop and country would be great. Thing is, my visa application to the US has not been renewed, so I wouldn't be able to go to Nashville and do it," she added.

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The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in American immigration applications to the American Embassy.