The UK’s number one, Estelle, has criticised the UK music industry for failing to capitalise on music by black artists.

The R&B singer says that she doesn’t understand why urban acts such as Ms Dynamite, Jamelia and Mis-Teeq have failed to maintain success.

“They all got dropped for some reason! Some were at the height of their career and they got dropped. I don't understand it,” she told the BBC.

“There was the emergence of people perceiving urban music to be dead. Well, it's not dead, you just don't know what to do with it.”

The London singer, who last released a record in the UK four years ago, is currently at number one with her comeback single, ‘American Boy’, which features Kanye West.

When asked whether she felt that the UK music industry knew what to do with black musicians, she replied: “They definitely don't. It's hard, but it's up to us to show them.”

(by Jason Gregory)