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UPROAR: Jesy Nelson(Photo credit: PA)

LITTLE MIX singer Jesy Nelson has caused controversy on Instagram, as some of her fans criticised an image she posted of her in dreadlocks, with many accusing her of 'cultural appropriation'.

The 26-year-old songstress, unveiled waist length red dreadlocks as she gave her Instagram followers a behind-the-scenes look at the group’s latest photoshoot.

The picture shows the singer posing for the camera in a faux-fur coat with her new hair draped over her shoulders. She captioned the shot with a camera emoji and the word “shootin”.

Shootin’???????? @dorsettcity

A post shared by @ jesynelson on Feb 19, 2018 at 2:31pm PST

Some fans branded her new look “offensive” and accused her of “cultural appropriation” as many begged her to delete the image.

One user commented: “Jesy I hope u at least apologize. If you don’t, you’ll be labelled as ignorant for the rest of your career. I’m not black but I’m very aware of their culture and I respect it. If someone as simple as a fan like me can get educated on this, it shouldn’t be hard for Jesy to do so too.”

Another user said: Many women and men have dreads and are fired,expelled from schools and shamed for having dreads. but when someone white has them they are praised and told how exotic it looks,hardly fair is it?

Another wrote: “Oh no hunny. Please no, take them out. You can't rock these the way you think.”

However, another user strongly defended the picture and the right for anyone to wear their hair how they wish.

"If we are practicing equality then we should be free to do what we like and that includes a hairstyle that is typically known to be worn in black culture," wrote blessbabe. "Is it right to tell black people not to dye their hair blonde? No it isn't. Why? Because they can do what they choose."

This comes a few weeks after Kim Kardashian-West was widely criticised when she posted a Snapchat story unveiling what she described as "Bo Derek braids".

She was accused of cultural appropriation and ignorance for crediting Derek.

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