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Pop star and 15-year-old Disney sensation MILEY CYRUS tells ET she's "embarrassed" about an upcoming photograph of her appearing semi-topless in the new Vanity Fair issue.

"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," she tells ET. "I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."

The photo, on stands this week, accompanies an interview with Miley and her dad, BILLY RAY, and was shot by famed photographer ANNIE LEIBOVITZ. As seen on our show promo last week, the pic shows Miley sitting in profile with just a blanket wrapped around her chest.

Vanity Fair editors respond: "Miley's parents and/or minders were on the set all day. Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley. In fact, when BRUCE HANDY interviewed Miley, he asked her about the photo and she was very cheerful about it and thought it was perfectly fine."

However, a Disney Channel spokesperson says: "Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines."