JameliaAmericans have always been intrigued by music from the United Kingdom. From The Beatles to Boy George and Amy Winehouse, artists from England have infiltrated US pop culture and become fixtures at American radio.

VisitBritain.com has recognized the US appreciation for UK music and as a part of their new Transatlanticism Campaign (www.transatlanticism.org). BV Buzz spent some time in London as a part of the campaign and interviewed several UK top music superstars.

First up was R&B star Jamelia, a statuesque 28-year-old vocalist who has released three CDs via EMI Records in the UK – 2000's gold-certified 'Drama;' 2003's double-platinum 'Thank You;' and 2006's gold-certified 'Walk With Me.'

In addition to her 13-year recording career in Europe, Jamelia signed with ICM Models in 2004 and has worked significantly as a model; dabbled in television hosting; and recently tried her hand at acting.

Jamelia made international headlines last year for her involvement in a BBC documentary called 'Jamelia: Whose Hair is it Anyway?' that went inside the world of hair weaves.

I sat down with the happily married singer – her husband is UK soccer player Darren Byfield – and we not only discussed her accomplished career in London, but her desires to achieve success in the US as well.

Whitney Houston kicked off her promotional tour for her upcoming album here in London. As a female vocalist, are you excited about her return?

I was so pissed. I heard afterwards that she was here. It's probably a good thing that I didn't go because I probably would have died anyway. Everybody who went to the event had nothing but good stuff to say and I'm just so excited because everybody is saying that she's back at her best. It's not like they're saying, 'Oh Whitney's got a new song out' it's 'Whitney's back' and that's a totally different sentence to say. I am so excited. She is such an inspiration.

What other artists have inspired you musically?

My biggest inspiration and person I delight is Mary J. Blige. She is the reason that I do what I do. I don't want to be an artist like her, but she just inspires me to no end. I love her realness and I love the fact that she's grown as an artist and she continues to do that. I was born on her 10th birthday so I think there's something in that. I idolize her and I also love Gladys Knight. Nowadays, people like Beyonce and Rihanna. I like Mariah Carey as well.

Have you had the chance to meet Mary J. Blige at all?

I've had the chance to meet Mary J. Blige. You don't understand how big of a fan I am. It's to the point where I was doing a show and she was doing it too. They told me that I could come and meet Mary if I wanted to. I burst into tears and was like, 'I can't' so I didn't actually meet her and I kick myself every time just thinking about it. I've never been able to see her perform which is crazy. Every time she does there's some reason why I can't get to a show. She is by far my favorite artist. I love Keyshia Cole as well. I think she's like the first new artist who could be a Mary J. Blige. In 20 years time she is gonna be like Mary J. Blige, I believe anyway. Obviously, I love people like Lauryn Hill and Gwen Stefani. Female artist wise, those are the ones that I look up to anyway and appreciate. I love Missy Elliott as well.

You have artists that inspire you and now there are girls here in London that look up to you. Is that a lot of pressure?

One of the things that I learned very early on was that I'm now on a world stage and everything that I do is gonna end up in the papers- especially the bad things that I do. I just think that if I have to make that decision that I don't do anything bad for the next person to come and have an easier ride of it than that's the decision that I'm happy to make. I always say that there are lots of bad things that I'm sure I would love to make even though I can't think of any right now, but I can't do them. I don't mean anything major like breaking the law or anything like that, but just in general every decision is a decision that I make. I make it a point of not falling out of clubs drunk especially being a Black artist and in the UK. They just need one little thing and in 12 or 13 years they haven't gotten that thing and I'm gonna make sure that they don't get it. It's easier for the next people coming through and for girls in general who are looking up to me. If I have to be the perfect one than I'll make that sacrifice and do my bad stuff behind closed doors.

The paparazzi business started here in London and they're ruthless here. How have you steered clear of them, particularly being in a high-profile relationship?

One thing that people don't realize is that anybody who gets followed by the paparazzi all the time whether or not it was in the beginning or not it was courted. They made it happen and made arrangements for where one of them would be. You get the paparazzi if you want the paparazzi. I know where to go and I know where not to go. Sometimes I do make mistakes. There's a place in London where they always have these street performances and sometimes I'm stupid basically. I took my daughters there because they have never been there before. Obviously it's a massive crowd so first I started getting mobbed and then the paparazzi started coming. Then, the paparazzi followed me to my hotel so they knew where I was staying and it's about making the right decisions. My private life is not for sale and it's totally separate to my life as an artist and a performer. I don't mind being pictured while I'm Jamelia the singer, but Jamelia at home is not for sale.

Your daughter Tiani is with you today and you have another daughter Teja. How do you balance motherhood with being in the entertainment business?

As you can see, I just think that being a parent is not an excuse for to not be an artist and being an artist is not an excuse for me not to be a good parent. I just think it all works because I want it to work and because I so want to do everything that I do. I home school my children so they can come everywhere with me. I'm going to Atlanta for a month and they're coming with me. They have that freedom partly because I home school them. I'll be normal mommy in the day and go into the studio at night. I make it work because I really want it to.

Why did you decide to home school them?

It's one of these balancing act things. I found out that my children were losing out and I got to the point where I had to make a choice. It was either my career or my children and obviously my children would win hands down. Then, I tried the whole school run thing and being a housewife, but it was just so not for me. I felt like I was dying. I thought that there had to be a way for me to have it all. I'm one of those people who say I can have it all. I watched this DVD called 'The Secret' and I started reading a lot of books and I was like, 'I can do this. I'm gonna find a way.' It was actually my eldest daughter who came to me and said, 'mommy, why can't we be home schooled?' I was like, 'What do you know about home schooled?' She did and we tried it for a couple of months and it's just worked out great. It's been nearly a year now and it's given me the opportunity to pursue my career and for my relationship with the children not to dwindle or suffer.

You did the documentary 'Jamelia: Whose Hair is it Anyway?' for the BBC. Is it true that your discoveries made you decide never to wear weaves again?

I've never said that I would never wear hair extensions again. I haven't since I've done the show, but every time I see hair extensions I think of that little girl who was getting her head shaved off which was heartbreaking. I've always seen the positive changes that the hair extension industry has made in India so I'm definitely not against them. I just think that people need to be made aware of where their hair comes from. If I was to wear hair extensions again, I would know where they came from and that the people gave their hair willingly and it was in a very well ventilated and all of the people in the factories were looked after. I would do that research before I put them in my hair. It's kind of hard to do that right now so they haven't been in my head. I was approached by a TV company to make a documentary on the industry. It was something that I had never thought about before and I was just like, 'Wow, this could be really interesting.' It was just the most amazing trip of my life and to learn what I learned and be there first hand in a factory where they've got miles of hair in these little bundles you're just like, 'No way.' They're actually shampooing it by hand and you just don't think about all of the hard work that goes into it. I'm someone who can't keep weave in my hair. I will have it in for a photo shoot and then you're taking it back out. I also haven't put it in because I want to appreciate this hair that someone has given me and I would have to keep it in for a while and I don't think I could so that's why I haven't. It was a brilliant experience and I'm so glad that I educated so many people. Again, I'm not against the hair extension trade, I just want to make sure that it's fair and that people are just thinking about where it came from and not using the rat hair. It's not a good look.

You participated in Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebration. How'd you establish relationship with him?

I initially did the Nelson Mandela show in Johannesburg and that to me was just overwhelming. I've actually met Mandela four times now. Every time I meet him I remember the day that my mom was telling me about the day he got released from prison. I think I was about nine and I always remember that day. This man was so amazing and I always knew about the things that Mandela had done and what he stood for. Then to actually be in his presence – it's like he's a King. For him to be speaking to me and for me to be there because it's really easy to feel insignificant and coming from growing up in the inner city of Birmingham which is not like ghetto, but it is and to find myself starting there and being in a position where I'm significant enough to be in the presence of someone like that was just so mind-boggling. When he did the show over here I brought my children with me and I just want when they get older to never feel that weird feeling of, 'I should not be here.' I want them to feel like, 'Oh that's Mandela. I know him.' They were around Will Smith and Jada [Pinkett Smtih] and loads of other artists from around the world. They are fans of people but they will talk to them like they're normal people. The other day my daughter met Kanye West when we were in a store and she was just like, 'Hello Kanye. I was just listening to your song.' I'm standing there, 'Oh my God, it's Kanye West.' For me, I feel like I'm changing the paths of my children. They're not gonna think that too much is impossible unlike me who still to this day can't believe things are happening to me.

So you're working on your fourth CD and doing this one on your own. Tell me about the recording process.

For me, the initial stages have been defining a new sound. When I say a new sound, I'm not saying that I'm coming back all crazy, but I think when you've gotten so far in your career you need to have something that is definitive even if it's just a backing track, I want you to feel that it's the type of song that Jamelia would do. That's been such a fantastic and enjoyable process. I love working in Atlanta. I love working in the States because of the vibe. They just feel like anything is possible over there. It's really easy to feel restricted as a UK artist and everyone having preconceptions about me and what I should be recording. No one knows me in the US so to them it's like a new project. We can push the envelope and do something new and exciting. That's what really excites me and it's great. I'm just really excited about releasing new stuff and getting back out there.

There was some internet buzz about you are going to be working with Pharrell Williams and that he wanted to sign you to his label. Any truth to that?

We kind of met after he did a show and he kind of mentioned it in passing and I heard that his management followed it up, but we haven't really made any concrete plans to get in the studio so who knows? Anything is possible though.

Are you interested in making it big in the US? So many British artists have.

I think that's the only thing I've got left to do. I don't feel like I've peaked in the UK because there are still a lot of things that I want to do here, but I definitely feel that the next step is for me to try and take on America and see how that goes. I definitely feel that it's important to get back my musical game here. I'm really impressed with the new artists that are coming through and every time I see a new artist in the UK I feel like I should be there, but if anything it's inspirational. I definitely have plans to come over to the US and make my mark.

Do you think Americans have a misconception of British music artists?

I think around Europe and Australia and everywhere but the US, I think everyone takes us seriously. Because the US has not been exposed to the amount of talent that we have here it's very easy for Americans to feel that we can't do it. I love being in the studio with Americans and playing them stuff that I've already done or working with an American producer or writer and them asking, 'Are you sure you're from England?' They see us like 'Alice in Wonderland' and drinking tea and that is exactly how I think we are perceived. I think it's a great time for me to come over to America because I love having something to prove and surprising people. I would love for Americans to be scared.

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VIDEO: Watch Jamelia's music video for her song 'No More.'