The 26-year-old singer, who grew up in Trinidad and Tabago, said that her father's actions helped make her the tough person that she is today.
She told The Sun, 'All of my young and teenage early years we lived in fear that my mother would be killed by my father. It was ridiculous. It made me act out to guys and be evil to them when I was growing up.
'It made me tough. Of course it did. I am an emotional person, but I am a tough person. It was very tough emotionally for me to have a parent who was an alcoholic and a drug addict. I had a mum with no money.
'We didn't really have many options. When you don't have options you feel helpless. And I think that is the worst feeling.'
She continued, 'My father was violent - physically and verbally. Once my older brother grew up he became the man of the house and started standing up to my father.
'That was the only time we had peace in my home, when we knew there was another male figure in the house and he could protect us.
'I will cry about something but I never let anything stop me. I can't be like my mum. I know I can cut ties and still make it.
'She didn't cut ties when I felt like she should have done. That's been my whole thing. I've been able to say, 'This isn't working any more. You need to get out of my life'. I keep it moving and it has worked.'