R+B star Ms Dynamite has no regrets about falling pregnant shortly after breaking into the bigtime, because she needed a break from the pressures of the music industry.

The 23-year-old singer put her career on hold in 2003 to give birth to son SHAVAAR - despite the reservations of her record label and then-boyfriend DWAYNE SEAFORTH - because she didn't feel ready to deal with international fame.

Dynamite, real name NIOMI DALEY, says, "You could tell everyone was thinking, your timing couldn't be worse, even if they didn't actually say it. I did plan it, though. Dwayne and I talked about having a baby.

"At first, he was, like, 'I don't think this is the right time for you career-wise. I don't want all these people looking at me, thinking, what have you done?'

"I said, 'Well, if that's the only reason not to, then we're doing it. I felt like it was the right time. Although for Ms Dynamite it wasn't, for Niomi it totally was. But now, looking back I feel for Ms Dynamite it was right, too.

"I don't think I was ready to go to the States, to make it international."