Joss Stone's frustration over strict label rules

British singer Joss Stone bought herself out of her recording contract because she wanted to be free to get tattoos and dye her hair.

The free-spirited pop star was 16 years old when she shot to international fame with the 2003 release of her debut album, The Soul Sessions.

But in 2008, Stone launched a legal battle to leave EMI because she was frustrated by record label bosses' strict rules banning her from adding to her tattoo collection or changing her look.

She tells BBC Breakfast, "It was a little bit scary to do that but it doesn't matter. You know, I realized there's only one kind of type of ammunition that anyone can really use against you, for me, and that's to take away my pen, my paper and my voice. But everything else is not really ammunition.

"When you're in that situation and you're in a major deal with a major label, they want to have control of their product, fair enough, it's a business thing. They want you to sing what you're told and wear what you're told and look how you're told to look, no (tattoos).

"The hair color was an issue for a while. I changed my hair color, like, a hundred times - I was a young girl, I have the right to do that. But, no, no you don't, not when you're being paid money to stay blonde! It's those kind of things. It's all about freedom (to) just be who you are and make the music you want to make."