Biz interview with Tyler James

AMY Winehouse's best friend Tyler James says losing her was the kick up the backside he needed to get his life back on track.

The 31-year-old Londoner grew up with a close bond to schoolmate Amy and was at rock bottom when she tragically died in July 2011.

But in an unlikely turn of events, Amy's death sparked Tyler to "grab life by the balls" and get his career going again following a spell battling his own demons.

During his Biz Session for The Sun, the emotionally-charged singer confessed that was what Amy would have wanted him to do.

Tyler revealed: "When I lost Amy that just made me think about how life is too short and you don't know what's going to happen so go out there and get exactly what you want.

"Life really is too precious, do you know what I mean?"

The Voice ... Tyler belts out his powerful vocals

Dave Hogan

He continued: "I want to make Amy proud, without a doubt. I know that in those first few weeks... well months and months and months, she would have probably just said to me 'get on with it, don't sit around crying, go and do something, go and do what you love and get on with it.'

"And that's what you have to do. It was really hard to go on The Voice when I hadn't sung or performed for a year and I think it was the first time for a long time I've been brave and grabbed life by the balls."

Originally hailed as the UK's answer to Justin Timberlake, Tyler first hit the charts back in 2004 with his debut single Why Do I Do.

However things turned sour for the soulful singer when in 2005 he lost his recording contract and developed an alcohol problem.

THE Voice runner-up performs a soulful acoustic version of his latest single for his Biz Session

Following a stint in rehab the star now hasn't drunk for over five years and says the experience made him realise how much he loves being a performer.

He said: "Before I went to rehab, that was the defining point in my life. I was at the absolute lowest you can get, it was just like 'you have got to sort your s*** out.'

"The thing that got me through rehab wasn't 'if I don't I will get sick or I'll die,' it was 'if I don't then I will never get to be an artist.' That's what used to make me get through every day when I was there."

Light hearted ... the singer shows his fun side

Dave Hogan

Tyler showed off his impressive vocal range during the session as he performed acoustic version's of his current single Worry About You, album track Prisoner In The Rain - which was inspired by the last few months before he went to rehab - and a stunning falsetto filled cover of Disclosure Feat Sam Smith's Latch.

Since deciding to appear on The Voice and being mentored by US superstar will.I.am Tyler has found his way back in to the charts - and the pair are set to collaborate very soon.

He revealed: "Will there be a song Tyler and will.i.am? Perhaps. We will be working in the studio together. I don't know what will come of it. I know what the plan is to come of it. But you just never know."

THE Voice star performs a stunning acoustic cover version of chart and club hit for his Biz Session

Tyler says that despite The Voice helping to bring him out of his shell and remind him who he was deep down he still has moments where he can't quite believe how much things have changed.

He said: "I'm just loving it, there's certain things I dreamt of when I was a kid and a song that I wrote being on the radio is right up the top of that list. I heard Worry About You on Radio 1 a few days ago and was like 'oh my god that's my song,' and I burst in to tears.

"I know my mum's proud of me now and I put her through so much in the past, so it's a really nice feeling."

SINGER gives an impressive vocal display as he performs acoustic rendition of album track

However he still feels that he wouldn't change the bad times because they have made him who he is today.

He added: "Certain experiences that were hard make you better prepared for other hard experiences. Life will always throw them at you. Like it's nice right now, things are good right now, but things change and anything can happen.

"I wouldn't change anything, I think I'd be a different person and I probably wouldn't want it as much as I do now. Everything that happens in your life makes you who you are today."

Pitch perfect ... Tyler

Tyler's latest single Worry About You Feat. Kano and second studio album A Place I Go are out now.

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