The singer, 35, talks about escaping from childhood, living with Bell’s palsy, that sex tape release and the highs and lows of fame
I couldn’t wait to escape from my childhood. My mum had bipolar disorder and schizophrenia – I was desperate to become an adult, live by myself, be independent. I was always searching for freedom. Singing gave me the power I’d been missing to take control of my own life.
My dad was in the band Mungo Jerry, and my mum was in an Andrews Sisters-style harmonising group with her four sisters, so I grew up surrounded by different musical influences. I got on the mic in Dad’s studio aged four. Then I got the part of Tallulah in a school production of Bugsy Malone – and loved it. As soon as I discovered I had vocal cords, I was like, “This is what I want to do.”
