World-famous ginger Ed Sheeran is gearing up to release his new album = tomorrow (October 29) — and according to the singer-songwriter, it's probably going to be a humiliating affair.
Appearing on Apple Music's exclusive "First Listen: Ed Sheeran" livestream today, the musician told host Zane Lowe that his writing comes from such a personal place that his own songs often embarrass him.
"When I record them, they're mine; they're all my thoughts and emotions put into songs," Sheeran explained. "And they're largely quite embarrassing things in my mind that I'm putting down into writing."
The level of vulnerability that comes with sharing one's innermost thoughts in song certainly is cringe-inducing — imagine if the stream-of-consciousness you wrote 280 characters at a time on your private Twitter account dedicated to shitposting became inescapable on every radio station?
"If a song doesn't make me go, 'Oh, I don't wanna put that out,' then I shouldn't be putting it out," the artist continued, apparently using feeling self-conscious about his work as a form of litmus test for whether it's a good song. "If it makes me feel embarrassed to release it, it's the right song to do."
He added:
Always, when I hear songs that I love, there's lines that they say where you go, "That's exactly what I'm thinking, but I would never say that." So that's what I try to do with songwriting — sometimes I write a line and I go, "Oh, that's silly, why am I saying that?" And that's the magic in songwriting.
Sometimes you have to trust your silly little gut, right?
The search to replace Sheeran on SNL's November 6 episode following his COVID-19 diagnosis rages on. It also remains to be seen whether = will feature a collaboration with metal band Cradle of Filth.
Appearing on Apple Music's exclusive "First Listen: Ed Sheeran" livestream today, the musician told host Zane Lowe that his writing comes from such a personal place that his own songs often embarrass him.
"When I record them, they're mine; they're all my thoughts and emotions put into songs," Sheeran explained. "And they're largely quite embarrassing things in my mind that I'm putting down into writing."
The level of vulnerability that comes with sharing one's innermost thoughts in song certainly is cringe-inducing — imagine if the stream-of-consciousness you wrote 280 characters at a time on your private Twitter account dedicated to shitposting became inescapable on every radio station?
"If a song doesn't make me go, 'Oh, I don't wanna put that out,' then I shouldn't be putting it out," the artist continued, apparently using feeling self-conscious about his work as a form of litmus test for whether it's a good song. "If it makes me feel embarrassed to release it, it's the right song to do."
He added:
Always, when I hear songs that I love, there's lines that they say where you go, "That's exactly what I'm thinking, but I would never say that." So that's what I try to do with songwriting — sometimes I write a line and I go, "Oh, that's silly, why am I saying that?" And that's the magic in songwriting.
Sometimes you have to trust your silly little gut, right?
The search to replace Sheeran on SNL's November 6 episode following his COVID-19 diagnosis rages on. It also remains to be seen whether = will feature a collaboration with metal band Cradle of Filth.
