The lead singer of rock band Mumford & Sons has revealed he was sexually abused at the age of six. 

Speaking to GQ magazine, Marcus Mumford said it took him "30 years" to tell his family and friends but is now addressing the issue in his new song 'Cannibal', part of his solo album.

"Like lots of people-and I'm learning more and more about this as we go and as I play it to people-I was sexually abused as a child," he said. 

"Not by family and not in the church, which might be some people's assumption. But I hadn't told anyone about it for 30 years," he continued. 

The 35-year-old, whose parents were the international leaders of the Vineyard Churches, also shared how he told his mother by playing her the new song. 

"Couple days later," Mumford said, she came back and said: "'Can I ask what that song's about?' I was like, 'Yeah, it's about the abuse thing.' She was like, 'What are you talking about?' 

"So once we get through the trauma of that moment for her, as a mother, hearing that and her wanting to protect and help and all that stuff, it's objectively f*** hilarious to tell your mom about your abuse in a f*** song, of all things."

He shared he sought therapy after hitting "rock bottom" in 2018. 

"I'd had the people closest to me hold up a mirror and say, like, 'Dude, something's not right here and it's your responsibility to go figure it out," he added. 

Mumford, who describes himself as a believer, also shared how he left his parents' church when he was a teenager. 

 "My dad said to me, 'You shouldn't come to this church anymore. You should go to a different place. You don't want to be the pastors' kid everywhere."

Mumford has previously mentioned he doesn't identify with the word "Christian" as it carries "so much baggage" but has said he "loves Jesus and always will". 

His song Cannibal is the first song on his first solo album 'Self-Titled'.