Phil Collins, best known as the frontman of Genesis, is recognized as one of the most iconic singers and songwriters from the 1980s and 1990s. His remarkable musical talents have left a lasting impact, not only through his work with Genesis but also as a solo artist.
However, there’s more to Phil Collins than just his public persona as a musician. It turns out that his musical gifts also extended to his personal life, particularly in a very touching way with his daughter, Lily Collins.
The bond between a father and daughter is crucial, often playing a significant role in shaping the daughter’s future. In the case of Phil Collins and Lily Collins, their relationship was complicated by his career demands.
As a highly sought-after musician, Phil was frequently away from home, which inevitably affected his relationship with Lily. Lily is the daughter of Phil Collins and his second wife, Jill Tavelman. Unfortunately, Lily didn’t get the chance to spend much time with both of her parents together, as they divorced when she was just five years old.
This aspect of her childhood is something Lily openly discusses in her memoir, Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me.
She shares, “When I was 5, my parents got divorced and my dad moved from our home in England to Switzerland, where he stayed for more than 20 years.”
Lily also reflects on the emotional distance she felt from her father during those years. She candidly writes, “He may have still been alive, but most of the time, it felt as if he were completely gone.”
This sense of absence had a profound impact on Lily, making her more conscious of her behavior and words. She became particularly cautious, fearing that anything she said might be misinterpreted by her father as anger or a lack of love.
Looking back on that period, it’s clear that Phil Collins was deeply immersed in his career, particularly with Genesis. His focus on music and touring left little room for supporting Lily in the way she might have needed at the time. Interestingly, Lily didn’t even realize her father was a rockstar during her younger years.
At the same time, Phil was grappling with his struggles, including an alcohol addiction. During this challenging period, he was also working with Disney, having been hired to write songs for the 1999 movie Tarzan.
Phil Collins contributed five songs to the Tarzan soundtrack, but the one that held the most significance for him was “You’ll Be in My Heart”. This song wasn’t just a piece of work for the movie; it was something deeply personal. Phil revealed that the song was written for his daughter, Lily.
When the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2000, Phil shared that it, “began life as a melody I imagined singing to a baby Lily.”
Lily herself has spoken about the special connection between the song and her relationship with her father. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly (EW), she recalled, “We grew up watching Disney shows and movies together, so [‘You’ll Be in My Heart’] was his way of kind of being able to do it for his kids. It was so special.”
Lily also shared her thoughts on what it was like having a rockstar for a father. She described it as a strange experience, saying, “It’s a weird thing to have your dad or your parent be on the stage with a million people saying their name and you’re like, ‘No, that’s just dad.’”
Despite the unusual circumstances, she eventually became accustomed to the duality of her father’s life. She fondly recalled, “But I started to get used to, that person was Phil and then when we were home, that was dad.”
This story highlights the unique and sometimes challenging dynamic between Phil Collins and his daughter Lily. Despite the physical and emotional distance that existed at times, their connection through music remained strong and meaningful.
