Music star Iggy Azalea has released a statement after topless photographs of her were leaked onto the internet.
The unauthorised release led the rapper to delete her social media accounts, including her Twitter and Instagram. However, she then returned briefly to Twitter to condemn the people behind the leak.
The photographs in question are outtakes from a shoot that Azalea took part in after being named GQ magazine's 'Woman of the Year' in 2016.
It is unknown how the photographs were leaked.
The pictures were taken by Nino Muñoz but were never intended for public consumption. The singer spoke of the distress that the leak has caused her, as well as saying explicitly that she had never consented to the release of the pictures
Azalea said: "Recently some outtakes from my 2016 GQ magazine cover were leaked to the public.
"A lot of high profile women have shot covers for GQ with a strategically placed hand etc covering their breasts... I always thought they were very beautiful covers, so I jumped at the opportunity."
"I hadn't seen other women's covers leak so I felt comfortable (on a closed set) to model for such a reputable magazine knowing only the images with my hands covering would be considered for print."
She continued: "I never consented to taking topless pictures for potential release, period. It was my understanding BEFORE shooting, GQ do not print topless pictures."
"There was no reason for anyone to have kept the outtakes from the shoot.
"I'm surprised and angry that they were not immediately deleted after the final images were selected."
She went on to say that she felt 'blindsided, embarrassing, violated, angry, sad and a million other things' and said that she was 'a ball of negative emotions' following the leak.
She concluded: "I fully intend on finding out where the leak originated and pressing criminal charges in regards to this.
"It's important to me that someone actually be held accountable for their actions and the way it impacts my life.
"I don't feel there is anywhere I can retreat to or that I have a 'happy place' I can wait in until it all blows over. Please think of how you might feel if the shoe was yours to wear.
"I have seen some really vicious shit written in the last 24 hours and it is too much negativity for me to handle. For now it's best to keep my accounts deactivated."
She signed off: "Be kinder to one another."
After sharing her heartfelt post, she then re-deleted her Twitter account.
While we don't know where the leak came from, she did send a signed topless picture from that shoot to her cosmetic surgeon, Dr Ashkan Ghavami.
He shared that photo on social media with emojis in place over her nipples and wrote: "Our homegirl Iggy Azalea is here for a check-up looking fab... as always,
"I got this great amazing photo, only two of a kind. She looks amazing!"
Advert
GQ Australia editor Michael Christensen said: "We were very disappointed to learn that outtakes from a 2016 photo shoot which were not approved or intended for publication appear to have been stolen from the photographer.
"We understand an investigation is underway and join the condemnation of the publication of these images."
Featured Image Credit: PA