Introduction
In a funny and heartfelt moment on Watch What Happens Live (WWHL), actress Lily Collins opened up about a surprising realization from her childhood: she didn’t realize her father, Phil Collins, actually sang the famous Genesis songs she grew up hearing. Speaking to host Andy Cohen, Lily admitted she was “shocked” when she discovered the truth about her dad’s incredible musical career.
Lily Collins, best known for her roles in Emily in Paris and Mirror Mirror, shared that during her early years, she knew her father simply as “dad,” not as one of the most successful rock stars in history. “I always knew my dad was a musician,” Lily explained, “but it wasn’t until I was a little older that I realized those famous songs on the radio were actually his songs.”
Growing up in the early 1990s, Lily was too young to experience the peak of Genesis or even Phil Collins’ solo success in real-time. “It’s funny,” she told Andy Cohen. “I’d hear Invisible Touch or I Can’t Dance playing in a store or on TV and just thought, ‘Oh cool song,’ but I had no idea my dad was the one performing it.”
Lily said the big realization hit her in her early teens. “Someone at school was talking about Genesis, and I was like, ‘Wait… like my dad’s Genesis?’” she recalled, laughing. “It was one of those moments where your world kind of shifts.”
Phil Collins, of course, is not just any musician. As the drummer and lead singer of Genesis, followed by a massively successful solo career, Collins is responsible for some of the most iconic hits in pop and rock history. Songs like In the Air Tonight, Against All Odds, and Another Day in Paradise made him a global superstar, but Lily says he was always humble at home.
“To me, he was the dad making breakfast or telling me bedtime stories,” Lily said on WWHL. “He didn’t walk around the house being ‘Phil Collins the rock legend.’ He was just dad.”
Lily also opened up about how, later in life, she developed a much deeper appreciation for his artistry. “I’ve gone back and listened to his albums and Genesis records properly now, as an adult,” she said. “It’s honestly incredible — the storytelling, the emotion, the drums… I’m in awe of what he’s done.”
Fans loved Lily’s honesty, with many commenting on social media about how relatable it felt to not fully understand a parent’s work until adulthood. During the show, Andy Cohen also joked, “Imagine finding out your dad sang In the Air Tonight! That’s wild!”
Lily Collins now proudly embraces her father’s legacy. She says it’s made her understand the power of music even more. “It’s something I’ll always be proud of,” she said with a smile. “And honestly, I still get goosebumps when I hear In the Air Tonight — it’s just that good.”