Jason Derulo couldn’t remember other musicians’ lyrics when he started out trying to sing their tunes

Jason Derulo got used to freestyling as he couldn’t remember other musicians’ lyrics when he started out trying to sing their tunes.

The ‘Whatcha Say’ singer, 35, has sold more than 250 million singles worldwide and has achieved 14 platinum singles in the US – but has now admitted to one of his biggest flaws when it came to trying to perform when he was young.

He told Jamie Laing, 36, on his ‘Great Company’ podcast: “I could never remember any songs. So, I love to sing, but like, I couldn't remember songs.

“Like, it was, like, very hard for me to remember lyrics.

“So, like, I'd start singing the song, and then forget the lyrics, and then I’ll just start singing anything, so I’ll just start freestyling.

“And that became like a thing that I just did just sing anything, because I just wanted to sing something, but I just couldn't remember the people’s lyrics.

“So, I think naturally, I got a knack for creating melody and creating words because I couldn’t remember anybody else’s and it wasn’t until I decided to sit down one day and actually write a song that I knew how much fun it could be.”

Jason added about how he wrote his first song aged only eight: “It’s called ‘Crush on You’.

“Yeah, and it was for this girl in my class, Amy Hume, sat in front of me.

“She had curly blonde hair, and I was, I was into it, and I didn't have no money. “I didn’t have nothing to give to her. So, I was like, I’m gonna write her a song. And yeah, that started the journey of songwriting.”

He added the lyrics included: “24/7 days of the week, my mind is on you, and it’s getting to me. I got a crush on you. I got a crush on you.”