Tulisa Contostavlos is one of the most talented and high-profile recording artists working in the UK today. She has three platinum N-Dubz albums, four MOBO awards, a groundbreaking drama series, two documentaries, a MIND award and an X Factor judge's win under her belt. Not bad for a girl who's not yet twenty-five.

But this is not just a tale of glittering success. Tulisa grew up on a tough London estate and left school with no qualifications as she struggled to cope with deep-seated emotional problems while caring for her mother alone. She has seen first hand what drugs, alcohol, gang culture and violent relationships can do to young people, but she has come through it all to become the confident, inspiring artist she is today.

After mentoring Little Mix to the winning spot of the X Factor on her first year as judge, and releasing her debut solo album The Female Boss, Tulisa has sealed her position as the most exciting young talent in British music. In her typical up-front style, here she shares with us a staggeringly frank and honest account of her life. In her own words, this is her story.