R&B singer Rihanna has said the "humiliating" leak of naked photographs of her was "the worst thing that could possibly ever happen to me". The star told US radio station Hot 97 she had originally sent the pictures, which appeared online earlier this year, to an ex-boyfriend. But she defended the initial decision to take the photographs, which she described as "hot". "If you don't send your boyfriend naked pictures, then I feel bad for him." The 21-year-old singer has had a rough year, after being assaulted by former boyfriend Chris Brown in February. Brown, himself an R&B singer, was sentenced to five years' probation for assaulting Rihanna in August. He has since apologized to fans for his actions. 'Embarrassing' The naked pictures of Rihanna appeared on the internet in May. "I just felt like my whole privacy was taken before that and then, when that came out, I thought, 'oh great, so now there's nothing they don't know about me and my private life'," Rihanna told Hot 97. "It was humiliating and it was embarrassing - especially my mum having to see that. It was two days before Mother's Day, so I was nervous. "I sent her flowers first before I called and then she texted me - when the world is against me she's always there supporting." The singer added: "If it's wrong, she will still let me know but she wouldn't come down on me like, 'oh my God, what were you thinking?' Earlier this month, Rihanna opened up about her assault, telling ABC's Good Morning America programme "it could happen to anybody". She said she now found her brief reconciliation with Brown "embarrassing". "I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed," she added. Source: BBC