Kylie Minogue worries it could have been stress that made her ill.

The 'All The Lovers' singer - who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2005 - admitted she used to get herself into "absolute states" before she went onstage to perform because she is so insecure.

She said: "After being ill, I just thought, 'OK I don't know whether it was the stress that made me ill or the illness made me that way.' I don't know - chicken or egg.

"I would just be in absolute states before performing and I think there's always been a little voice in my head from when I started out, 'She can't sing, she can't do this, she can't do that'.

However, the 42-year-old star- who has been dating Spanish model Andres Velencoso since October 2008 - revealed she no longer feels so nervous before going out on stage, though she is unsure why her outlook changed.

She explained to Attitude magazine: "I just don't stress about being on stage anymore. There could be combined reasons, maybe I've just reached my stride and I love that I've had to earn that. No one can give it to you. You've just got to learn the hard way."