Leann Rimes is more interested in having “fun” than chart success.

The 41-year-old singer – who began her career when she was just nine years old – would far rather concentrate on satisfying herself creatively and if her efforts do well commercially, that’s a bonus.

She told Britain’s HELLO! magazine: “At this point, it’s more about , ‘What do I want to create? What light me up and what’s fun?’

“If I do something I love and the achievements come along with it, great.

“I couldn’t be more proud of where I’m at as a songwriter, the messages I’m conveying and the mark I’m leaving with my music. I think it’s more powerful than ever.”

The ‘Can’t Fight the Moonlight’ singer – who won a Grammy Award when she was just 14 years old – didn’t realise how “unusual” her childhood was until much later in her life when she was able to contrast it with that of her stepsons, husband Eddie Cibrian’s kids Mason, now 20, and 16-year-old Jake.

She said: “Mine was definitely an unusual childhood but it wasn’t until I got much older that I understood how unusual It was.

“I was homeschooled out of sixth grade and finished high school while I was on the road, so I would do four hours of school a day and a gazillion interviews, and then a show at night.

“It was a lot, but it was normal for me.

“Having my stepsons in my life from when they were two and six and seeing their very normal childhood was the first time I really understood how different I was.”

When she isn’t working, LeAnn leads a very quiet life.

She said: “When I’m off the road, I just love to be home and enjoy life in my sweats.

“We travel and get out into nature a lot, which keeps me grounded. That’s super important.”