John Legend admits "it wasn't always easy" to forgive his mother

Appearing on 'The Lulu Podcast: Turning Points', he said: "It wasn't always easy... we basically lost our mum for a while as she was struggling with addiction after her mother died.

"So she was really out of our lives for a while... it made us have to step up and be more independent and take care of ourselves...

"We were latchkey kids, and we would come home and we would cook and do the chores around the house to make up for mum being gone."

The 46-year-old singer explained how growing up and realising the reasons behind his mother's behaviour made it easier to move on together.

He added: "Forgiveness is big... once we grew up and started to realise the why behind what happened with my parents and my mother, eventually you get to a place of forgiveness...

"And it's healing for both of you - the person you're forgiving and for yourself... the best way for everybody to heal is for you to eventually forgive."

John and his wife Chrissy Teigen - who has suffered with post-partum depression and dealt with the heartbreak of a miscarriage" have "been tested very well", and it's given him "more perspective" on parenthood.

He said: "We expect our parents to be perfect and do all the right things, then once we grow up we start to realise they're just human beings like us.

"They're dealing with unprocessed trauma a lot of times and mental health issues just like every human being does and I think it gives us more perspective once we grow up and we understand how their minds work."

Meanwhile, John thinks he and Chrissy - who have Luna, eight, Miles, six, Esti, two, and Wren, six months, together - are stronger as a unit after their personal struggles.

He explained: "I think it taught me how to be a better partner to her and be more supportive and understanding with her as she was going through some of the most difficult times in her life, and really in our lives together...

"I think we've had enough tough times - I think we've been tested very well and the fact that we've made it through all that together I think it bodes well for the future."