Sabrina Carpenter has hit back at trolling over her sexuality.

The 26-year-old pop star made the comments in an interview with Rolling Stone, published alongside the cover for its July/August issue, which features Sabrina posing nude.

Bed Chem singer Sabrina appears in one image wearing only sheer stockings, with her arms crossed over her chest and her blonde hair flowing down her back, and told the magazine about objections to her lyrics and how she shows her body: "It's always so funny to me when people complain. They're like, 'All she does is sing about this.'

"But those are the songs that you've made popular. Clearly you love sex. You're obsessed with it."

Sabrina, who is currently on her Short and Sweet tour, has attracted both acclaim and criticism for her sexually charged stage performances - including a recurring routine during her song Juno, in which she strikes explicit poses.

Addressing online reactions to these moments, she added to Rolling Stone: "It's in my show. There's so many more moments than the 'Juno' positions, but those are the ones you post every night and comment on.

"I can't control that. If you come to the show, you'll [also] hear the ballads, you'll hear the more introspective numbers."

In a follow-up phone call with the magazine, Sabrina spoke further about the scrutiny faced by women working in the arts and entertainment industry.

She said: "I don't want to be pessimistic, but I truly feel like I've never lived in a time where women have been picked apart more, and scrutinized in every capacity.

"I'm not just talking about me. I'm talking about every female artist that is making art right now.

"We're in such a weird time where you would think it's girl power, and women supporting women, but in reality, the second you see a picture of someone wearing a dress on a carpet, you have to say everything mean about it in the first 30 seconds that you see it."

Sabrina added the increased attention surrounding her celebrity status has also impacted her personal life.

She said: "What people probably don't realise is the more eyes you have on you, the harder it is to love what you're doing.

"You have to keep fighting to still love making things and to still love performing.

"The critical sides start to taint it, and they start to make things less fun. They start to make friendships and relationships less fun and enjoyable.

"(But) there's still so much light and goodness in this, if you're doing it for the reason of you love it and can't live without it."