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Imelda May opens up about being a single mother: ‘Women do most of it anyway’

Imelda May has opened up about being a single mother, almost two years after splitting from her husband.

The 42-year-old and her husband of 13 years Darrel Higham, who was also her guitarist, split in July 2015.

Imelda and Darrel now share custody of their four-year-old daughter Violet, and the singer admitted that, in her opinion, being a single mother is easier than being a single father.

“I may be just speaking for myself, but I think that women do most of it anyway,” she told RSVP Magazine.

Easier: Imelda thinks being a single father would be harder than being a single mum | VIPIRELAND.COM

“So, in some ways of course it’s harder, but in other ways it’s like, ‘Thank God, I don’t have to pick up wet towels and smelly socks off the bed’. So being a single mother, yes of course it’s daunting, but I think it would be harder for a dad to become a single father.

“Most women handle the majority of the stuff anyway, so you hold it together more. You do everything around the house and for the kids, that was true for me anyway and I know Darrel would agree.

“When he’s minding her, I’ll leave him big long notes and messages about what needs to happen at what time [laughs], but he’s great and he’s a good dad. We’re very lucky and we get on well. She’s our main concern so once she’s happy we’re happy and we’re good.

“We’re very lucky. We’ve gone through tough times, don’t get me wrong, but we seem to be coming out the other side which is great. She’s our whole world so we’re completely in agreement she has to come first and have a stable, happy life and childhood,” she explained.

Amicable: Imelda and Darrel split in 2015 – but there’s no hard feelings between the pair | VIPIRELAND.COM

In the interview, the songstress also cleared up speculation that Darrel had left their band because of the split.

“He was leaving the band anyway. Everyone thinks that he left the band because we split up, but for a few years he had wanted to leave and do his own thing musically. We were in a band together for seven years, but we had been gigging separately before that for about 15 years so he missed that.

“He loved being in my band, but that point came where he missed doing his own thing, so it was quite a healthy and happy conversation between us. I knew he needed to go in a different direction and he knew I did too.

“So it was all very normal and amicable even, in terms of that before we split, we were both happy with that. Someone asked me was I scared to do it without him, but I did it for years without him, this is what I do,” she said.

Change: Imelda ditched her signature 50s quiff after her split | VIPIRELAND.COM

The Dubliner also revealed what influenced her new look – having ditched her signature quiff for a more natural fringe.

“I suppose maybe it [break-up] did influence it, but also change just happens. It’s difficult, but you have to accept it and get on with it. Like a lot of women you have a breakup and you feel a bit crap, so off you go to the hairdressers, you get a new hairdo and it makes you feel good.

“It’s a pick-me-up. Also, I was bored looking exactly the same all the time “Writing wise, being creative and as a woman, keeping the same hairdo for your whole life is a bit odd,” she added.

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