Cilmi hit was warning to record chiefs

Gabriella Cilmi's hit single Sweet About Me was a direct message to music industry bosses warning them not to push her around.

The Australian singer was aged just 16 when she shot to international stardom with the song, and she feared record industry chiefs would try to take advantage of her naivety by controlling her image.

So she deliberately penned a set of feisty lyrics to send a clear warning to her paymasters not to "mess" with her.

Cilmi says, "I got into the business very young and people have this tendency - when they have young acts - to mould them and create them the way they want. I really didn't want that to happen to me.

"I was a bit of a tomboy growing up, too - 'No one mess with me!' I guess that's how that song came about."