Blur frontman Damon Albarn was seen enjoying a quiet stroll through London earlier this week with a new female companion, marking the first time he has been spotted publicly with someone new since his highly publicised split from long-term partner Suzi Winstanley.
The 57-year-old musician kept his look casual in a white T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, while his mystery companion opted for a camouflage jumpsuit. The pair were seen walking Albarn’s dog before stopping by a corner shop to pick up snacks and other essentials during the outing.
Albarn’s appearance comes two years after the end of his 25-year relationship with Winstanley, an artist known for her collaborative wildlife work with Olly Williams. The couple, who share a 25-year-old daughter, Missy, were said to have kept their separation discreet, only confiding in close friends.
A source revealed in 2023 that Winstanley was heartbroken by the breakup, which was reportedly influenced by Albarn’s busy travel schedule and preference for spending extended periods of time at his Devon home, where he had set up a recording studio. “Suzi really tried to make it work,” the insider shared at the time. “It was incredibly sad for her when it ended.”
Winstanley was so affected by the split that she reportedly found it difficult to listen to Albarn’s 2023 Blur album, The Ballad of Darren. The record, widely interpreted as a reflection on their relationship, includes candid lyrics hinting at regret and loss.
In The Ballad, Albarn sings, “I just looked into my life / And all I saw was that you’re not coming back,” while St. Charles Square opens with the line, “I f***** up / I’m not the first to do it,” suggesting personal responsibility for the breakdown.
Albarn and Winstanley first met in the late 1990s, shortly after his split from Elastica’s Justine Frischmann. At the time, Albarn was living in a Ladbroke Grove flat with cartoonist Jamie Hewlett, who would go on to co-create Gorillaz with him. By the end of 1999, Albarn and Winstanley had moved in together and soon welcomed their daughter.
Over the years, Albarn rarely spoke about his private life, often emphasizing his desire for privacy in interviews. “I appreciate that people want to fill in the gaps, but I just don’t want to talk about my private life,” he told The Guardian in 2003. “I never have done and I never will.”
Despite the breakup, Winstanley continued to show support for Albarn’s work, even attending Blur’s Wembley performance shortly after their split.
While Albarn has not commented on the new relationship, his relaxed appearance during the London stroll suggests he is embracing a new chapter in his personal life.