Shania Twain has apologised to anyone she “offended” by admitting she would have voted for Donald Trump.

The Canadian singer is the top-selling female country artist of all time having sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and 34.5 million in the United States.

Twain was not eligible to vote in the US presidential election but said in an interview with The Guardian that she would have chosen the reality TV star and businessman because he “seemed honest”.

There was a backlash on social media over her remarks and she attempted to diffuse the criticism by tweeting an apology on Sunday.

“I would like to apologise to anybody I have offended in a recent interview with The Guardian relating to the American President,” Twain, 52, said.

“I am passionately against discrimination of any kind and hope it’s clear from the choices I have made, and the people I stand with, that I do not hold any common moral beliefs with the current President.

“My answer was awkward, but certainly should not be taken as representative of my values nor does it mean I endorse him.”

I was trying to explain, in response to a question about the election, that my limited understanding was that the President talked to a portion of America like an accessible person they could relate to, as he was NOT a politician (3/4)

— Shania Twain 💎💎💎 (@ShaniaTwain) April 22, 2018

Twain, known for singing That Don’t Impress Me Much, said she was caught “off guard” by the question about Mr Trump.

But social media lit up after her apology, with one fan posting “This answer don;t impress me much”

This answer don't impress me much

— Bret Forbus (@Ashekandi_) April 22, 2018

In an article published on The Guardian website on Sunday, she said: “I would have voted for him because, even though he was offensive, he seemed honest. Do you want straight or polite? Not that you shouldn’t be able to have both.”

Fans criticised her for apparently backing Trump, with many pointing to his alleged “bigotry” including his treatment of transgender troops and his brags of about groping women.

-With AAP