‘Sing’ is already the song of the summer, x the longest running UK number one album of the year. For Ed Sheeran, 2014 could scarcely be better; a welcome change from 12 months ago.
“2013 was a difficult year, for many artistic reasons. But I felt like by the end of it, and by the beginning of this year, I was in a very good place.”
Of course, who better to help banish the blues than the man who is known by all and sundry as being, well, happy?
“Working with Pharell on [‘Sing’], I definitely went in wanting to do a Justin Timberlake-y sort of thing. His album, Justified, was my favourite record that Pharell had produced.”
The spotlight is now well and truly on Sheeran, and as his friends in One Direction found out, that’s not always a good thing. The threat of drug exposés doesn’t faze the 23 year old, though.
“I’ve never shied away from that stuff. I don’t think it surprises anyone if you act now in the way you mean to go on. Rather than being caught doing it, it’s taking control of your own situation.”
Read the full interview in the new issue of Hot Press, out tomorrow!