Amelle Barrabah suffered a great loss following her dad’s unsuccessful battle with cancer 14 years ago. And although the former Sugababes singer will never get over the tragedy, she’s happy to know that he is always watching over her.

She told Bang Showbiz: “I’ve always got a connection with my father. We were very very close, no matter what I do whether I’m a house wife, working in music or I’m an actress whatever I’m doing I always just try and do it to the best of my ability.

I obviously want to make him proud but the way he brought me up is you make yourself proud and if it’s right, go with it and if you know something is wrong you, just stay away from it.

So it’s pretty simple and quite black and white especially now I’ve matured a lot and I have a great business and I’m doing pretty well but I know what it’s like to struggle. I just try to be the best person I can possibly be.”

The star still has a difficult time dealing with his death. As she has gradually come to terms with this painful experience, Amelle says the easiest way to manage is by focusing on everything he ever taught her.

“It’s definitely hard, it takes quite some time to get used to not having that person there especially if you’re very close then it’s a very different dynamic in your family life. But you have to move on, take it day by day, some people go through those denial stages some people cry non-stop, I feel my sort of character is that you just have to get on with it.”

She continued: “I think that the healthiest mindset and I’m kind of very strong for my whole family, you just have to remember the great times, all he’s taught you. I remember a lot of what he taught me as a young girl with a Moroccan Muslim family, and being the best I can be and respecting one’s self and I’ve always had him teaching me to be a very good person with a very big heart.”