Alexandra Burke could have been famous from the age of 12 after she was offered a record deal from Stevie Wonder - but her mum rejected it.
But the singer, 33, said that she is grateful to the late Melissa Bell for protecting her childhood.
She said even though it took a while for her to 'take it in', Alexandra says she stands by the Soul II Soul band member's decision.
She told MailOnline: "It was such an experience and at 12, you don't really take it in. Now at 33, I realise the meaning of it that he saw something in me.
"My mum made the right decision. She always believed kids should be kids, to be able to go to school, be with your friends at the cinema and theme park.
"And not to ever take that from a child because you won't get those years back.
"I'd gotten a taste of the industry via my mum. I saw her go through ups and downs so I kind of got a talking to, to allow me to develop thick skin."
The Back to Life songstress died in 2017 aged 53 after a nine-year battle with kidney failure, which was caused by diabetes.
Stevie Wonder once picked her mum up from their home in Islington and then gave "the biggest donation" to their local church.
Alexandra described Stevie as the "kindest person" she has ever met, and is grateful that the hitmaker saw something in her.
Despite missing out on Stevie's record deal, she was always destined for fame and won the X Factor in 2008.
She revealed her first album Overcome got the seal of approval from Beyonce who joined her for a studio session in Los Angeles.
She said: "She was listening to the tracks and giving her advice and feedback on some of the songs I’d been recording. She liked it – it was very positive."
"The last time I saw Beyoncé was when she was here for the On The Run II joint tour with Jay Z [in 2018].
"She’s got kids now and she’s in a different place to when I first ever met her. The perfect example and role model to young girls out there."
Alexandra is with West Ham player Darren Randolph and the pair were spotted leaving a luxury London hotel.
The pair have been dating since May, and it's been said that she has been helping him to redecorate his pad and even hired a chef to cook him a meal for his 34th birthday.
