Estelle grateful for label knock-back

Estelle has admitted that she was glad to be dropped by her previous record label.

The singer was axed by V2 Records in 2004 after her debut LP failed to make an impression on the UK album chart. After being snapped up by John Legend's Homeschool label, Estelle scored a number one with 'American Boy' in March.

The 28-year-old compared finding success in the music business to "building a mountain".

"If you get placed at the top at the start, you'd fall down quickly," she explained. "You have to be confident to survive in this industry.

"You have to be screwed greatly by one label to prosper."