Example never knew "how to sing or rap" when he first started out.
The 31-year-old star – who was catapulted to the spotlight following the release of his second studio album ‘Won’t Go Quietly’ – admits he’s "learned" a lot during his time in the industry and credits the producers he worked with and his own work ethic for his success.
He told The Sun newspaper: "I’ve learned on the job. I’ve worked extremely hard and haven’t given up, it hasn’t been a jolly.
"I’ve been happy in the studio and in terms of music. I’ve adapted to things as they have been thrown at me because I never really knew how to work in the studio or write a song.
"I never even knew how to sing or rap. The whole thing has been a learning curve."
Example – real name Elliot Gleave – insists his confidence as a singer has grown and he can now accept his "unique" voice which he previously battled with.
He explained: "I never had the confidence to sing before. I always felt that my voice didn’t sound pure or sweet or tuneful like everyone else’s.
"I was a spotty little teenager with dyed blond hair and my red Moschino jeans.
"When I started writing my own lyrics I wanted to sing but never had the confidence.
"When you listen to radio nowadays everyone has got a perfect, tuneful, soulful voice. And back in the Sixties and Seventies everyone didn’t have a perfect voice.
"Not even the likes of Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart and David Bowie. Their voices are raw and real.
"I like to think my voice is more unique than a great-sounding voice. It is like Marmite. But I tend to find a lot of people come up to me and they like the uniqueness of my voice. It’s a bit gravely.
"It tells a story more than the person who has been classically trained or has a perfect R&B soul voice.
"I think it is nice to be dividing. I’m happy with that."
Example: I never even knew how to sing or rap
