A Britain's Got Talent star has revealed that she 'lost control after signing up with Simon Cowel's talent agency.
Natalie Okri, 26, who was dubbed a 'baby Beyonce' when she audition for BGT in 2009, has now hit out at the reality of fame as a child star.
Balancing, school, rehearsals, studio hours and live performances had proven tough when she was younger but it was when Natalie signed to Simon's Syco Entertainment label in 2020, that felt she lost control over her creative direction, according to the mirror.
Although she was initially pleased to be signed by a label again in 2020, Natalie reportedly has feelings of regret.
She told The Mirror: 'When you're so young and you have a label, so many people's hands are in it, and you don't really get that much of a say.
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Natalie Okri, 26, who was dubbed a 'baby Beyonce' when she audition for BGT in 2009, has now hit out at the reality of fame as a child star
'They choose your songs, they choose your look, they choose what you wear, and they kind of tell you what your story is, rather than you having your own story.
'It's very much like [a game of] design your artist.'
MailOnline has contacted Simon's representatives for a comment.
In pigtails and pinafore she looked like a typical ten-year-old school girl in 2009 but Natalie transformed the moment she started singing.
Her impressive performance won over the judges and led to a standing ovation from the audience. But the response from her classmates was anything but complimentary.
The singer, who idolised the singer Beyonce, explained at the time how envious classmates taunted her because of her extraordinary musical ability.
'There is one girl in my class who makes fun of me because I wear ordinary clothes and she wears fashion stuff,' said Natalie, who lived with her mother and sister in a flat in South London.
'She is the gang leader and there are about six of them who make me cry.
Balancing, school, rehearsals, studio hours and live performances had proven tough when she was younger but it was when Natalie signed to Simon's Syco Entertainment label in 2020, that felt she lost control over her creative direction, according to the mirror
Although she was initially pleased to be signed by a label again in 2020, Natalie reportedly has feelings of regret
'But I know I can win and show them all what I can do.'
Natalie impressed Simon Cowell and his fellow judges with her rendition of Alicia Keys' No One.
She told the judging panel she had been singing since the age of four.
'I sing at home and I sometimes even sing when I am havingmy dinner. I want to be a singer and a diva and I definitely want to belike Beyonce,' she said.
Natalie quickly won over the audience with herremarkably powerful voice, while even Simon declared: 'I think you are totally and utterly adorable.'
Amanda Holden described the performance: 'Just knockout brilliant,' whilePiers Morgan enthused: 'You are a very very little girl with a veryvery big voice, I loved it.'
Natalie, who is estranged from her father, said she wanted to win the competition and £100,000 prize money to buy a new house for her mother and sister.
Her mother Tabeth Mupondihunga confirmed at the time that the youngster had been physically and verbally abused since auditioning for the show.
She said the problem had arisen because other girls wanted to audition with Natalie as a girl group, but she wanted to do it alone.
