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Cher Lloyd has told Newsbeat she was not dumped by former X Factor mentor Cheryl Cole.

The 17-year-old is currently promoting her debut single Swagger Jagger, which received its first play on Radio 1 on Monday (20 June).

On her relationship with Cole, the singer said: "I didn't really get dumped did I? I'm working, so is she.

"She's busy as well. I don't know what the big deal is with that. She isn't my mum, she isn't my auntie or my sister."

Lloyd added: "I don't think it's a big deal her staying in touch with me."

"That was a TV show. This is my time now."

The singer says she's pleased with the sound of her first song, despite the style being a slight departure from her personal tastes.

Single balance

She said: "It was really hard to choose what sort of thing we were going to do.

"Me, as an artist, I'm more into dubstep. I grew up listening to drum and bass, hip hop and then I realised that sometimes you can't get your own way but the balance that we've got within the single, I'm fine with."

She says the title, Swagger Jagger, reflects the issue of when someone criticises you for your style and the next day wears the same clothes.

On 15 June the song was leaked online ahead of its release, which didn't please the star at the time.

She explained: "I was upset about it because it was a demo.

"Any recording artist will tell you if one of their demos got leaked they would be really annoyed because it's not finished.

"The production isn't there so people are getting a track that they're all going to judge anyway because they've been waiting a long time.

"It's just not fair - but life isn't fair is it? Only sometimes."

When asked if she's still in touch with her former X Factor co-stars she replied, quite frankly, that she's "sick of tip-toeing around people" and wants to be honest.

She added: "Basically I haven't been in touch that much with people. I get the odd text.

"I always make an effort to text Mary because I got on with her a lot. She's an older lady, she's wise, she took me in. But apart from that - nothing.

"I'm a busy girl. I'm getting on with my own career, I'm sure they're getting on with theirs.

"If they wanted to talk to me, they've got my number - ring me up, text me, whatever - we'll do something. But if not, it doesn't matter."

Swagger Jagger is released in the UK on 31 July.