Rita Ora has told how she was "broken and hurt" when she first started out in the music industry.
'The How We Do (Party)' songstress, who is signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, also admitted that showbusiness is "very unpredictable" and surrounded with "sharks".
"During my journey I got signed at the age of 14 and people told me these things that just fall through. Yeah, I was broken, upset and hurt," she told the National Citizen Service (NCS).
It was her confidence and strong belief that she could make it that kept her motivated during the tough times.
"It's all about self-belief in this industry especially because you never know what the next door to open will be, you never know what your next track is gonna do or what your album's going to sell. It's very unpredictable," she continued.
"But I always believed in myself. I always believed that one day I was meant to do this, someone would hear me. Self-belief is kind of the main thing if you want to get on, especially in this industry full of sharks."
Rita is one of the celebrities who is encouraging young people to believe in themselves, alongside Ed Sheeran, Adam Deacon and Wretch 32 for the NCS, which helps 16 and 17-year-olds build essential skills with its three-week residential programme.
