Ed Sheeran explains why he went shirtless for 'Shape of You'

Ed Sheeran faces another copyright lawsuit as a co-writer on McGraw and Hill's new single. (Reuters)

Ed Sheeran wasn’t completely comfortable going shirtless for the sake of his music.

“Having my shirt off in the video wasn’t my idea though,” explained the 26-year-old English singer/songwriter to Us Weekly on filming his music video for “Shape of You.”

“It was the director’s and it kind of happened very last minute,” he said. “I wasn’t really comfortable with it, but he lit it in such a way that it ended up looking quite cool.”

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However, Sheeran’s recent fitness regimen helped him prepare for the big reveal.

 

“My lifestyle changed,” he explained. “I realized I needed to start exercising, not necessarily to be slim but to have a healthy heart. By exercising and not having such a wild lifestyle, you end up being a healthy human being.”

Sheeran also credited taking a year-long break to work on his third album, “Divide,” to help the artist prioritize what was important for him. He explained how he took four months to travel and then six months to reside in his Suffolk, England home where his record was made.

“Finding my life balance again was the best,” he added. “I hadn’t really adjusted completely to my new lifestyle so having a year off to balance it all out was quite important. I learned to prioritize what’s really important. I’ve got a strong group of mates and a wonderful girlfriend who I grew up with. I’ve got a house where I grew up. So I’ve kept my roots. It had all helped me to stay grounded.”

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While Sheeran is content with his growing musical success and personal life, he admits that settling down to have a family of his own may not happen quite yet.

“I want kids but just because you are ready doesn’t mean it has to happen,” he said. “I think you could be ready for five to 10 years and then choose the right time. But I feel positive about it.”

One thing that Sheeran believes is constant in his life right now is his blossoming relationship with high school crush, Cherry Seaborn, who served as inspiration for his new ballad, “Perfect.”

Sheeran previously told Rolling Stone, “One day this will [all] f—king end. And I know the one person that’s going to remain constant is Cherry.”