Paloma Faith reveals the catalyst in the breakdown of her marriage to Leyman Lahcine and why she has deleted all dating apps: ‘It put a strain on us’

Paloma Faith has revealed what caused her marriage to husband Leyman Lahcine to fail.

The singer, 43, married the French artist, 37, in 2017 and they welcomed two daughters together before splitting in 2022 after nine years together.

In an interview with Davina McCall on her Begin Again podcast, Paloma discussed their divorce, why she deleted all her dating apps and the struggles that come with living as a single mother.

Paloma said problems in the relationship started when they were trying to get pregnant, when doctors discovered a problem with Leyman’s fertility.

The singer said she felt “resentment” building up when they started the IVF process, even though she knew she could get pregnant naturally.

Paloma had to take hormone medications that help stimulate the ovaries and prepare the uterine lining for the procedure.

She said: ‘When we first started trying I had previously gotten pregnant quite easily and so I was worried. It does irritate me that science, because it is largely male-dominated, says that if it is a male fertility problem, which it was in our case, it is still the woman who bears the brunt.

‘There has been no breakthrough. He was devastated all the time and said, “If I can take something or give injections. Why does it have to fall on you?”

‘But it did happen, and it does happen. He was empathetic, but I think that in itself put a strain on our relationship because his view was, “You’re so hardworking, breadwinner and all I had to do was this and I can’t do it.”

She continued, “It was hard because I knew I could just get pregnant naturally and I think that put a strain on us because I’m not one to bury my feelings. I’m just saying ‘this is frustrating’.”

Paloma told how the birth of their first child was traumatic and how she could barely walk for three months due to a uterine infection after an emergency caesarean section.

The singer also said she suffered from postpartum depression, which she didn’t realize until a few years later.

Paloma told Davina: ‘The birth wasn’t ideal and when we went to lockdown the fertility clinic called me and said: “we’re still open, do you want to have another baby?”.

‘I said to him, “I really want another baby, I don’t work so much. I have more time to relax. Can I do that?”

‘He said, ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it as a couple.’

‘I felt resentment, I just felt alone. There’s something halfway through life and you’re looking at perimenopause around the corner. It was the last chance saloon.

‘I just had it in my head: I have to give this child a brother or sister. I felt like a single parent, even in a relationship.’

Paloma said they went through couples therapy and later divorce therapy. She now has a ‘good relationship’ with Leyman.

‘We have a lot of respect for each other. We still say I love you. It will be hard for the person I end up with, but it has to be that way,” the singer said.

‘At first [the split] was terrible, we started over and we remembered all the things we loved about each other. I still think he’s one of my best friends.

‘Sometimes when we’re emotional or tired, we get a little upset. We are also grateful that there is friendship.’

However, Paloma said she still feels “exhausted from motherhood” and that “sometimes my children even perpetuate the imbalance” when it comes to parental care.

Elsewhere in the interview, the singer opened up about why she gave up dating apps after trying them several times.

She said: ‘I’ve been on dating apps, I definitely don’t want to date someone who’s a big fan of my music

‘I think dating apps are a melting pot of damage and many men look for an ego boost there. Maybe I was a little naive when I did it. I don’t think I would do it again. I deleted it.’

Paloma said she now feels the “sexiest” she has ever felt and is hesitant to date again because she is much “choosier” than before.