Lily Collins Honors Dad Phil Collins on His Birthday Despite Health Challenges
Acclaimed Genesis musician Phil Collins celebrated his 75th birthday surrounded by family.
“Yesterday Dad turned 75 and I’m incredibly thankful for our time together,” Phil’s daughter Lily Collins shared on Instagram on Saturday, January 31, posting selfies of them together. “For everything you’ve achieved, the joy you’ve spread globally over the years, the lessons we’ve learned, and all the memories we’ve made—and those yet to come, thank you.”
She added, “I feel so fortunate to have embraced you, laughed with you, and reflected on such a significant day. Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it. Love you to the moon and back.”
Phil, 75, shares Lily with ex Jill Tavelman. He also has children Joely, 53, and Simon, 49, with Andrea Bertorelli, and sons Nic, 24, and Mathew, 21, with Orianne Cevey.
Phil’s milestone birthday was also celebrated by his siblings.
“Happy 75th birthday Dad! I’m beyond proud of you,” Nic wrote in an Instagram post featuring him and Matthew. “Thank you for always inspiring me and being the best dad anyone could wish for. Love you tons! ❤️
Lily commented, “The absolute greatest ❤️❤️❤️.”
Joely also acknowledged Nic’s photo.
“What amazing pictures!! Happy birthday Dad! ❤️🙌🥳
Phil stepped back from performing with Genesis in 2022 after facing a series of health challenges.
“Honestly, I’ve been very sick,” Phil remarked in MOJO magazine in February 2025. “I keep thinking of going to the studio, but I’m just not feeling the motivation anymore.”
After undergoing knee surgery last year, he provided an update on his recovery.
“I have a live-in nurse to ensure I take my medications properly,” Phil explained during a recent BBC Radio 2 interview. “I’ve faced many issues with my knee. Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.”
Phil shared that one leg still “works.”
“I can walk, though I need assistance, whether it’s crutches or something else,” he admitted.
Despite his health challenges, Phil continues to have his family’s unwavering support.
“Still saying ‘That’s my dad!’ 25 years later,” Lily posted on Instagram in June 2025 for Father’s Day. “Now, I get to play [Tarzan] for my own daughter, who will one day say ‘That’s my grandpa!’ Happy Father’s Day, Dad. I love you and am forever proud to be your daughter.”
Phil famously recorded the soundtrack for Disney’s 2002 animated film Tarzan, featuring the Oscar-winning song “You’ll Be in My Heart” as a tribute to Lily.
“She called me saying, ‘It’s everywhere on the radio,’” Phil recounted in an Entertainment Tonight interview, reflecting on the song’s initial success. “[She mentioned], ‘I go to school and it’s all over the billboards.’ She was so excited. When she went to the cinema with her mom, a trailer played and she stood up saying, ‘That’s my dad!’”
Lily became a parent herself in January 2025, when she and her husband, Charlie McDowell, welcomed their daughter Tove via surrogate.
