FemaleFirst reports that the singer and actress visited a detox clinic to learn more about the drug problems of Etta James, the soul singer whom she plays in the film.
The 27-year-old star said, "I’ve never tried drugs in my life, so I didn’t know about it all. I learned a lot about myself."
She added, "It changed my art. It changed my way of looking at everything, my approach to the songs I chose and the way I sang."
Etta James, who is now 70, was a music sensation in the 50s and 60s. She became addicted to drugs at a very young age.