Jamelia: Respect for single mothers!

single mothers have always been treated harshly, and some have even blamed for recent unrest in English. Give us a break, said the singer Jamelia, who is raising her two daughters on his own

It has become a poster girl for the success of single mothers, but to become a single father was never part of Jamelia in the game plan. When she learned she was pregnant at the age of 19 with her eldest daughter, Teja, 11 years ago, I was afraid. She thought it might be career suicide. As she recalls. "I remember thinking that has messed up, I thought I would die for my label."

Their fears were unfounded. After her maternity leave, payback Jamelia, Superstar, reached number three in the charts in 2003 and won two Brit nominations for the past 12 years, 30 years R & B / pop singer and songwriter, presenter TV and occasional model scored eight Top 10 Singles Britain, won four awards and a Q Mobo and received nine nominations for the Brit, however, it was also the primary caregiver for their two daughters from two different fathers: Teja , 10, and Tiani five years. Not in the most traditional, is also the first to admit, but it did its job in the family unit.

"No woman has the ambition to become a single mother. For me, it was never an option. Teja father was violent, physical, and the father was constantly cheating Tiani, and I does not show the respect I deserve. I learned what was really after their divorce, when she took me to court to try to take my hard earned money, thank you God, I did not win.

"However, to end this position was not the end of me," he said. "Motherhood gives you the strength in other areas of your life. Teja has given birth when she was 20 years old and I think it was because of me. If I had not had this experience, would probably not be as successful. I was very indecisive and disorganized adolescence, but since my children, I had a clear goal, because I know what my purpose in life. "

she feels so strongly about the demonization of single mothers who have assumed the role of a champion by producing a documentary on BBC3 harsh and unfair treatment in the following decades, and reminds us how fragile is easily attacked his position as head of household. I talk about it the week after the riots, when single mothers were indirectly responsible for the violence and looting in the towns and villages in English by orphaned children.

Jamelia is

was raised by a single mother, Paulette Davis, who was pregnant with her as a teenager when she sees all the problems from the perspective of a single mother of second-generation believes that his dysfunctional relationships with parents of their children because of her own children orphans. "I grew up without my father is involved in my education, without it being a father figure. If I had one, my choice of partner would have been better, "he said." I met my father when I was 18 months, but he was in and out of my life because he was also and out of prison. He left when he was 15 years and then could not get a stable relationship, and I was disappointed so many times. "

Jamelia

Jamaican parents born in Handsworth, Birmingham a private party with a history of riots in 1981, 1985 and 1991. His father, Donald Williams, spent years in prison for armed robbery and some of his siblings by his mother's subsequent marriage to Asher Beckford also a number of convictions, most notably in the case of Tumbi Beckford, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the murder of Daniel Bogle in a case of mistaken identity on a row of drugs.

Jamelia, an anti-gun and an ambassador for Prince Trust, was forced to withdraw, even since its appearance in 2004's Party in the Park Festival in Birmingham after receiving death threats, but aside now. "I feel confident talking about I think it's important that someone like me who grew up in the center of the city, you should, because I know what these guys live," he said. "Make no mistake, I am in no way condone violence, riots, I think it is disgusting My heart was broken by what I saw .. For me it was anarchy absolute, like a scene from Mad Max, but for me it's a cry for help, what mood should not be thinking it's okay to do something and it could happen again, so we have to take it seriously because crime is at its worst - children? destroying our communities. "

She gives the example of his brother, Mani, which was directly after a rebellious youth and now runs a company pilot. "I knew that Mani was in the wrong direction, then took on tour with me to meet different people that inspired him. Many children grow up in downtown within a mile of the house and see nothing to convince them that have potential. I see myself as someone who could easily have been trapped in this lifestyle, "he said. "I always say that I was given a golden ticket to 15 of the company [when they signed with Capitol Records, after producers sent some songs a capella, she had written and recorded on a karaoke machine]."

absent parents, she believes, is why teenagers are likely to leave the rails - no strong man to stay on track. "If my brothers were all male positive role models, people who cared for them, there would be trouble.

believe that 100%, "he said." A good role model need not be a father - the community has come together to be good neighbors, because we are separated other in those days. "

Jamelia

criticized the police stop and search methods after being swept away by itself at the top of the range Audi 27 on the way to pick up tile gym - is unloaded his frustration in Twitter announced in June ". The police told me f ****** sick ... The amount [sic] of times I was arrested for nothing is ridiculous ... racism is alive and well in people "He also thinks that some police officers, with an emphasis on Community law, it could be a source of inspiration for local models for orphan boys.

But I do not see why the mother should be blamed for the faults of their parents or, in the case of teenage mothers, threatened by the withdrawal of benefits that the ultimate sanction against the highest pregnancy rate among adolescents in Europe. "I think it would be difficult to deny benefits to teen mothers. They find themselves in this situation because of lack of education and knowledge. It is not painted the picture on the people of the benefits that aspire to be in this position and I can not think just ridiculous, "he exclaims in exasperation." It's a bit allocation just enough to survive, so who wants to be in this situation? "

• Although he agreed to join his father, Donald, again before the cameras of Channel 4 documentary last year that made me home now, said, "I do not speak not him at all times because it feels is to blame for my not knowing what to look for in a man.

"When I was with the father of Teja, beat me almost every day and I honestly did not know it was not normal. I thought, I do not want that for her, and left. "

later wrote a hit song with the title of catharsis sarcastic thank you to show that domestic violence had become strong survive in the long term. This gave the best revenge of all:. Success

"I'm not resentful, especially when my children are concerned. Your comfort is most important, and I do not feel the need for the sense of family. Insisted that parents play a role in the parents. And even if there was a very good in the nursery at the beginning, are certainly better now and play an important role. "