Singer-songwriter and actor Boy George has revealed that he credits his late mother with allowing him to become an artist.

During a new interview with Sherri Shepherd, he explained that the freedom he had growing up enabled him to find himself as a true creative:

"You know, it's funny, because I was talking to some of my friends about my mom - I lost my mom last year - and my friend pointed out that mom, really, was the one that allowed me to become an artist. My mom never forced me to get a job. I was like the last child with no employment!"

"My whole family were like, "What are you going to do?" I was going out to clubs, turning out every night. I was getting up, getting dressed, going out and being photographed - I was famous, but I was nobody and I had no money or a job. But I was getting photographed everywhere I went and I was going to these parties, living on canapés - you know! That was my dinner, free food!"

"And then suddenly I just landed in music. I saw all these people around me starting bands and I was like, I want to do that. I always loved music, obviously, I was obsessed with music from a kid. My first big obsession as a singer was Gladys Knight. That was a person I would listen to over and over in a dark room."

Boy George is currently starring in the Broadway production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical as Harold Zidler for a limited run of shows, which will end on May 12.

Watch Boy George's full interview on Sherri here: