(Cover) - -No story type selected- - Nicole Scherzinger's faith is a "vital" part of her life.
The singer's Hawaiian mother Rosemary and her Filipino father Alfonso split up when she was just a baby. She was raised by her mom and constantly marvels about how tough she had to be in order to look after her. Rosemary is religious, which helped her get through the hard time.
"My mum had me at such a young age [18], she had to be real strong. Her father was an Orthodox Catholic priest and her faith is something I've inherited; it's now a vital part of my life," she told the August edition of UK magazine InStyle.
"I didn't have great self-esteem growing up. I was so insecure. I had a really sheltered life, a strong Catholic family. The only place I opened up was when I was singing, performing."
Nicole describes herself as "geek" when she was younger. She looked different from everyone else at her school due to her mixed heritage, which was hard.
It taught her the importance of accepting herself, even the parts of her body she doesn't particularly like. It's something she still practices today, even though she's widely regarded as one of the sexiest women in the world.
Nicole is currently dating Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton. They spend a great deal of time apart due to their respective careers, but keep in touch using email, phone and skype.
The 33-year-old is keen to settle down at some point, but at the moment she's happy with her private life. She's also currently a judge on the American version of The X Factor which along with her solo work means she's very busy.
"It blows my mind that I'm getting older. I lose track of my age I have to ask my friends how old I am. The numbers sound a little scary, but I feel better than ever Mentally, I'm more mature than I was in my twenties. I'm a lot easier on myself," she explained.
"And I definitely want kids. I come from a big family. But not right now. This is a great chapter in my life with my work and my music a new beginning so I'm not ready yet." (C) Cover Media