Tulisa, famed N-Dubz singer and former X Factor judge has candidly discussed her tumultuous relationship with her mother, Anne, who struggled with her mental health throughout Tulisa’s early life.
Her mother, originally hailing from Ireland, was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder 17 years ago.
The pop star recounted in interviews how her chaotic childhood experiences sculpted her character and how her passion for music kept her ambitions alive amidst adversity.
Born to Anne Byrne, a native of Churchtown, County Dublin, and Plato Contostavlos, a Greek Cypriot keyboardist once part of Mungo Jerry, Tulisa’s family background is imbued with musical talent.
Anne Byrne also graced the music scene in the 1980s, performing with her three sisters in the lively big band and swing ensemble Jeep, reports .
:
Tulisa has opened up on her upbringing (Image: Instagram)
Navigating life with her mum in a modest one-bedroom council flat in North London, Tulisa shared in her 2012 autobiography ‘Honest’ the heightened security measures her mother took: “Mum was obsessive about locking our front door, and it was always locked from the inside with the keys still hanging in the door.”
Recounting a particular morning incident, she wrote, “One morning I noticed that although the key was in the lock, it hadn’t been turned, and the door was actually unlocked.”
Conscious of her mother’s potential panic upon the discovery, Tulisa took action: “Knowing that my mum would freak out and feel vulnerable if she spotted it, I turned the key and locked it myself.”
What followed was a dramatic reaction, as Tulisa described: “Within seconds, my mum, hearing the jangle of the keys, came tearing out into the hall, screaming at me hysterically.”
“I guess she thought I was trying to open the door and panicked, but went completely off the deep end, accusing me of wanting to make her ill, or even kill her, and it went on and on.”
“Incidents like this were a regular occurrence in our house, along with temper tantrums and mood swings.”
Don’t miss…
The star’s mother has schizoaffective disorder (Image: Instagram)
Tulisa candidly discussed her mother’s challenges in the documentary ‘Tulisa: My mum and Me’ from 2010, exploring the impact of schizoaffective disorder, which exhibits symptoms of schizophrenia coupled with a mood condition, be it bipolar or depression.
She revealed that her burdensome caregiving duties pushed her towards joining a gang, as well as dabbling in alcohol and drugs.
The former N-Dubz star opened up, saying: “One of the worst things about dealing with my mum was how helpless and alone I felt at such a vulnerable age.”
“The doctors didn’t seem to be able to stabilise my mother’s moods and I felt myself being dragged further and further down by the environment I was forced to live in.”
She continued: “Music and my dream of becoming a success was all that kept me going through those very dark times.”
Tulisa has been roughing it up in the Aussie jungle (Image: ITV)
Her struggles at home intensified and resulted in her spending an increasing amount of time at her aunts place after her father Plato departed.
Detailing her pain, Tulisa shared: “My dad left home and it triggered one of her episodes,” adding, “One minute she’d look all mournful as if someone had died, the next she’d be angry and aggressive, smashing cupboards and shouting.”
Describing the harrowing impact of her mothers health crises, the star revealed: “Inevitably, she went into hospital again and I stayed with my mum’s older sister, Louise. She had children of her own and it was felt she was more able to look after a young girl.”
“I used to dread my mum getting better and coming home because it would mean I’d have to leave my aunt’s house where I felt safe and happy and normal.”
Notwithstanding their past tribulations, the mother-daughter bond remains unbroken, evident in a series of touching photographs charting the contestant’s journey alongside her mother throughout the years.