RELEASING HER FIRST ALBUM IN SEVEN YEARS REBECCA FERGUSON ON HOW HER STRUGGLES WILL GUIDE DAUGHTER LILLIE IN THE MUSIC WORLD

With the candles lit and their sparkly dresses on, Rebecca Ferguson and her daughter Lillie May Dures are full of festive cheer ahead of a happy family Christmas.

- TRACY SCHAVERIEN

Joining hello! for this exclusive interview and photoshoot, the pair could almost pass for sisters as they chat about the exciting new chapters in their lives.

“We love Christmas,” Rebecca tells us. “It’s a big thing in our house and the tree usually goes up a day after Bonfire Night, which is ridiculous, but we do just absolutely love it. I’m looking forward to having family down from Liverpool and spending time with the kids.”

The singer-songwriter certainly has plenty to celebrate. She has become a mum for the fourth time and this week sees the release of her fifth album – her first in seven years. Meanwhile, it seems there might soon be another singing star in the family as Lillie, 19, sets her heart on following in her mum’s musical footsteps.

A teenager herself when Lillie was born, Rebecca, 37, can hardly believe her daughter is now older than she was when she became a mother, saying: “I do look at Lillie and I think: ‘God, she’s a baby to me!’

“Looking back, I don’t know how I did it, but I’m really proud of my kids and grateful for raising them. “Lillie and I are really close and I adore her. She’s the most beautiful person and her beauty shines from within. I feel very blessed to have her as a daughter.”

REACHING THE HEIGHTS 

Rebecca rose to fame on ITV’s The X Factor in 2010, when judges including Simon Cowell compared her to soul star Aretha Franklin. After finishing as runner-up to Matt Cardle, she went on to release four Top 10 albums and earn two Mobo Award nominations.