Ed Sheeran To Quit Music To Escape The ‘Hollywood Bubble’?

Over the past couple of years Ed Sheeran has shot from obscurity to becoming one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. Sheeran began making music in 2005, but success proved elusive until 2011, when he released an EP that hit number 2 on the iTunes chart without any promotion or record company backing. After an appearance on Jools Holland’s BBC show, Sheeran was snapped up by Atlantic Records and has gone on to become an international star.

Since the release of his debut album +[plus] in 2011, Sheeran has been constantly touring to promote his music and has forged friendships with a long list of pop music “royalty” including Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato and One Direction’s Harry Styles. Sheeran released his second album X [multiply] in 2014 and is currently touring to promote it. To date Sheeran has sold over 2.5 million albums and has become the most streamed artist on Spotify. Sheeran’s songs have been streamed almost one billion times.

Of course, as everyone knows, living life in the spotlight takes a dreadful toll on many artists, especially those in the glare of pop music publicity. It now seems that living life on the road and in the glare of publicity has been taking it’s toll on Ed Sheeran. The Daily Mirror is reporting that Sheeran is exhausted by it all and needs a long break.

The Mirror claim that Ed revealed his plans to take at least 12-months away from the spotlight after picking up an Ivor Novella for best songwriter at a glittering ceremony in London.

“I’d like to live for a bit! I feel like I live in a bubble where normal happens outside, and everything ‘Hollywood’ happens inside. I’d like to get on the outside for at least a year.”

According to Music News Sheeran is also struggling to get back in shape as his grueling schedule takes its toll, though Ed did hint that his tendency to over-indulge in his booze consumption doesn’t help him to keep his weight in check.

“I was in good shape after learning how to dance for the “Thinking Out Loud” video, but then I started drinking again.”

Sheeran fans can relax as it appears that, if Ed does take a break, it will be for 12-months and is unlikely to happen before he completes his current commitments. Sheeran has dates in the U.S. and Canada, three sold out dates at Wembley Stadium in July and further shows in Australia and New Zealand later in the year in his diary.

If Ed Sheeran does take a 12-month sabbatical it would give him the chance to write some new material and to record a third album before returning to the spotlight refreshed and energized.

[Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]