Katy Perry, on her 'controlling' ex-husband Russell Brand

The “Unconditionally” singer revealed that the British comedian put pressure on her to start a family

The “Unconditionally” singer revealed that the British comedian put pressure on her to start a family (getty images)

Katy Perry has claimed that her ex-husband Russell Brand wanted her to have children in order to control her.

The “Unconditionally” singer revealed that during their short marriage, the British comedian put pressure on her to start a family, despite the fact she didn’t feel ready.

“[Russell] really wanted me to have children, and I knew I wasn't ready - I think it was a way of control. I think it was part of, If I have a kid, then I would have to sacrifice - I'd have to be home more,” she told US Marie Claire.

"I really wanted to, but I knew I wasn't ready for it. It wasn't like, 'Hey, let's have a kid because we're in love.’"

She went on to describe the difficult time following the breakdown of the couple’s relationship.

"There were two weeks of my life after I found out the truth of my marriage where I was like, 'OK. All right. I can't feel this. This is too intense right now.' I was, like, just eating Flamin' Hot Cheetos and drinking, and that's it," she said.

And the fall-out from her marriage didn’t stop there. It went on to colour her succeeding relationship with US singer John Mayer, too.

"I took a break from my boyfriend, not one that I wanted. It was like a splash of cold water to search inward on what was going on with me," she said.

"That is what led me to this new awakening, this realizing, If I don't do some self-love, I'm not going to be able to keep the love that I want.

"I still needed to deal with all of my ex-husband stuff. I hadn't. It's almost like if I kept talking about it, it would seem like I actually cared about it. I don't."

Perry and Mayer recently released the artwork for their collaborative single, "Who You Love".

The track, out now, is the latest cut to be taken from Mayer’s sixth studio album, Paradise Valley.

The full interview appears in the January issue of Marie Claire, out 17 December.