I have said it once, and I’ll say it again, I’m loving the post-Chris Brown Karrueche Tran. Since the couple’s break-up in July – thanks to Chris fathering a nine-month-old, at the time, becoming BREAKING NEWS – the model has sky-rocketed into a career of her own, and it’s working for her. She is now seeing bright light within herself.

“I used to date him [Chris Brown], and now as I am growing into myself and maturing and getting my career together, I am starting to have my own name without having to be associated,” she explains to BBC Newsbeat.

Hit the jump for more.

JaaiR (JR)
Twitter | Instagram

The 27-year-old admits that due to her tumultuous and public relationship with the “Sorry” crooner, there was has continues to be missed opportunities.

“A lot of people think I am a weak individual because of past situations and when it comes to business sometimes people don’t want to be involved with somebody like that. Which is understandable, but it sucks, because I’m not a weak person,” she says.

Now, while she says there should not be the need to explain her actions to anyone, she has to clear the air for a few, in the name of creating a name that’s not associated with Brown.

“I feel like I shouldn’t have to explain myself to anybody because this is my life and I can do whatever I want. But in the same breath, it’s like, now that I am trying to focus on my career and get my stuff together, I have to clear up certain things,” she says. “Negative stuff was being said and being brought up. A lot of people were like ‘she’s only famous because of Chris Brown'”.

Check out more of Karrueche in the gallery at the top.

I’m proud of the girl. She was a fool in love … like most of us have been … and it just took her time to realize what was not for her.