Redfoo is the epitome of confidence now, but back when he was younger, he was a bullied child. “The X Factor Australia” judge revealed that people used to make fun of him because of his biracial heritage.

The 39-year-old LMFAO singer, whose real name is Stefan Kendal Gordy, is the son of Motown Record Company founder Berry Gordy Jr and writer-producer Nancy Leiviska. As half-black and half-white kid growing up in California, he was often called names like the sandwich biscuit Oreo.

“I grew up basically in a predominantly, you know, white community and I was mixed as a kid you don’t know that. So I was always different, always stood out and people would always make fun of me,” he said in an interview with “Sunday Night” on Channel 7.

“They used to call me Oreo, with the white in the middle so the black on the outside.”

He continued, “And one day, I just looked and I said you know what I’m not white, I’m not black, I’m not. I’m just me. And I renamed myself Redfoo.”

In an earlier episode of “The X Factor Australia,” he also shared that kids at school also used to call him “Annie,” after the red-haired orphan in the eponymous U.S. film.

As a mentor on “The X Factor,” Redfoo now helps other aspiring singers with their self-esteem.

“Making people feel good is the number one priority, I love that,” he said. “I love to help with dreams and I love what I do on X Factor as far as the mentoring and helping someone get over nervousness or reach their potential.”

Redfoo was recently attacked in Sydney. He was in a club when a man suddenly threw a glass bottle at him. He suffered a cut above his right eye, but was otherwise fine, while the 21-year-old attacker was arrested and charged with malicious wounding.

Read: ‘The X Factor Australia’ Judge Redfoo Hurt After Attacker Threw Glass At Him in Sydney Hotel

The incident not only physically hurt him, but also affected him emotionally.

“Now when I’m in the club I keep getting an image of something flying towards me and I keep turning around,” Redfoo admitted to News Corp Australia.

“I can’t really stand with my back to the crowd now. Even though I have a security [guard], I have to stand with my back to the wall. I’m very psychological, I’m doing my best to force myself go to back into the club. I don’t want to make it an issue. Although I do check to see if there’s glass in the establishment now. I look at the cups they use. I’m like a Navy Seal looking at what could possibly hurt me in there.”