Pictures of Lily

Since her alluring US television debut on Saturday Night Live in February, British pop star du jour Lily Allen has shown a mastery of time-honored Brit-rock traditions: catching ears and stirring up trouble. Allen's infectious debut album Alright, Still and current single Smile are red-hot in the States (or at least in our humble circles) after topping the British charts in 2006. Meanwhile, in the showbiz realm of "all press is good press," Allen continues to stoke the music and celebrity gossips, offering her trademark cheeky putdowns to everyone from Kate Moss (her fashion-line rival) to Britain's NME magazine (reportedly because they nixed a planned cover photo). But Allen's season of sass probably culminated last week with a demonstration of kung fu on London paparazzi. Photos from that outing include  a shot of Lily's shoe flying toward the camera, as seen at thesun.co.uk.

A talented 21-year-old artist thrust into the grinder of fame is hardly new. Nor is it when a celebrity, annoyed at the glare of popping flashbulbs, acts out at the operators of said flashbulbs. But it is remarkable to see these two things combust together—just as a star of Allen's brilliance begins to truly take off. You have to wonder, is that star going to flame out on us?

No telling. Shortly after Lily's kung fu demonstration, she flew to Austin and made a well-received appearance at the SXSW festival (albeit, a provocative one, with reports and images of the tipsy, beer-and-cigarette toting singer like this). Her catchy, ska-influenced pop music continues to sell and get heavy rotation. And her blunt manner has its fans. "Now Allen is known as much for her smart mouth as her smart songs," blogs Evelyn McDonnell on popmatters.com, "which makes her a welcome addition to a pop landscape that for too long has been littered with innocuous, inarticulate starlets. Allen is a kick in the pants."

Still, Allen muses on her myspace page — the venue that kicked off her buzz to begin with — about whether to quit her US tour early, go lounge on her boyfriend's couch and work on writing a new album. Seems the road shows, like the flashbulbs, are a bit of a drag.

Rock and roll was made for rebels, of course. As steeped as Lily is in musical tradition — her influences range from Squeeze to Ella Fitzgerald to Bob Marley — let's hope she discerns which examples not to follow in the pathways of fame's glare. Exhibit A could be Britney Spears, who makes it clear that one doesn't shake the paparazzi by publicly shaving one's head. Or Heather Mills McCartney who, as her breakup with Paul reached a boil, tried to fend off photographers by videotaping them. Or Courtney Love, whose confrontational antics eventually dwarfed her talent.

Stardom ain't necessarily easy. It seems the brightest rebels, and the ones who last, are those who can harness and express the wild emotions behind their art without fully self-destructing. Good luck Lily — you go girl! — but please, no more kung fu on the camera wielders, okay? — Jack Crager