Adele has criticised pop stars who use sex to sell records.

The pregnant 'Someone Like You' hitmaker has slammed her chart rivals - who include Rihanna, Madonna and Lady GaGa - who strip off in their videos to promote themselves and insists most female singers look very different in real life to how they look on screen.

She said: ''They don't look how they do in magazines or videos. I have seen them up close.

''Exploiting yourself sexually is not a good look. I don't find it encouraging.''

Adele has always had a fuller figure but she insists she would never go on a diet or change her image to try and be more successful.

The 24-year-old singer - whose last album '21' has sold over 23 million copies worldwide - prefers to just let her music define her.

She is quoted as saying: ''I have never seen magazine covers and music videos and thought, 'I need to look like that to be a success.'

''To sell more records I don't need to go that. I just stand there and sing. I'm not worried that I'm a 'plus size' and so much bigger than other artists.

''No matter what you look like the key is to be happy with yourself.''