Dua Lipa has taken to Twitter following backlash over her use of the n-word in a cover she performed of Mila J’s Smoke, Drink, Break-Up in 2014.

While the British singer sought to muffle the word, the star admitted she should never have used it in the first place.

In a message which was posted to Twitter shortly after midnight, the singer insisted that she hadn't given the potential repercussions enough consideration before using the word.

"In relation to my 2014 cover I never meant to offend or upset anyone," she began in the post which has been liked more than 29,000 times so far.

In relation to my 2014 cover I never meant to offend or upset anyone. I didnt say the full word but I can admit I shouldnt have gone there at all and that a different word could’ve been recorded altogether to avoid offence and confusion. I wasn’t thinking it through at the time.

— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) January 5, 2018

"I didnt say the full word but I can admit I shouldn't have gone there at all and that a different word could’ve been recorded altogether to avoid offence and confusion.I wasn’t thinking it through at the time," she wrote.

The singer's message was met with a mixed response from social media users, with some insisting Dua should move on following her apology while others demanded she take more responsibility.

"19 is a pretty young age and she apologized, something that real racist ppl will never do," wrote one while another countered: "Seemingly all you need to do to earn respect is to do racist things and then apologise."

Many fans and followers argued that the public were keen to drag past mistakes into the present, with many advising Dua to move on following her apology.

"This has happened so many years ago and you shouldn't penalise yourself for it now just because some people want to make you look problematic which we all know that you are not and we all do know that you would never mean to say anything offensive like on purpose," wrote one Twitter user.