Iggy Azalea dreamed of being a model during her childhood.

The 31-year-old star shot to fame as a rapper - but admits that modelling was her original ambition in life.

Iggy - who was born and raised in Australia, before moving to the US to follow her dreams - explained: "I have so many embarrassing pictures of myself in make-up that I’ve done that I thought was really editorial.

"In the early 2000s, I was obsessed with reality model competitions. I would watch all those shows and had a fantasy that I would send my pictures into a modelling agency and they would say, ‘You’re going to be the next top model!’

"Of course, I’m only 11 or 12 years old and I would do my make-up in ways I thought was really high fashion and print them out and send them in to modelling agency, which is now traumatising thinking of some intern opening an envelope with all these pictures of an 11-year-old thinking she’s a model."

Iggy - who recently launched her own make-up brand - recalled feeling "offended" that she was overlooked by the modelling agencies.

She told Billboard: "I was very offended that I never got a call."

Iggy recently announced she's taking a break from music for "a few years" to focus on "other creative projects".

The rapper revealed that her most-recent album, 'End of an Era', would be her last for a while.

She tweeted: "“End of an Era” is so special to me because after I drop my album next month iam going to take a few years to focus on other creative projects and things I’m feeling passionate and inspired by, beyond music.

"I’m excited for you guys to see different sides to me in the future.

"Shifting my energy and focus to what I’m most excited about is what is right for me and I hope you’ll continue to support whatever creative projects I’m out here doing! (sic)"