Cher Lloyd Reveals Label's Pressure to Date Bieber

British pop star Cher Lloyd has disclosed that her record label pressured her to pursue a relationship with Justin Bieber to increase her album sales in the U.S. during her teenage years. In an interview on the 'We Need to Talk' podcast, Lloyd, now 31, recounted how she was denied a promotional budget and told to find Bieber at clubs to 'hook up' with him, which she found 'bizarre' and 'horrendous'. Her then-fiancé, now husband, Craig Monk, was present when this suggestion was made, adding to her discomfort. Lloyd also revealed that she was encouraged to hide her engagement to avoid hurting her marketability. Fans have expressed outrage over these revelations, praising Lloyd for her resilience in the face of industry pressure. Lloyd is among several former X Factor contestants to criticize the music industry's treatment of young artists.