Ed Sheeran: 'I'm not worried if people don't think I'm credible'

Ed Sheeran doesn't care whether people think he's a credible artist or not.

The 25-year-old singer has already carved out a successful career thanks to two chart-topping albums under his belt, + (plus) and x (multiply). He released two singles from his upcoming record, ÷ (divide), last week (ends08Jan17) and divided opinions of many with the change in sound.

However, in a new interview with Britain's Radio X, Ed insisted he is unconcerned about what the public makes of his new material, because he can be safe in the knowledge that his "heroes" like his music.

"I don’t really care. I had Van Morrison take me for breakfast and tell me he loved me and I’ve had Eric Clapton come to my house for dinner – I’ve gone to his house for dinner and he tells me that he likes my music," Ed said.

“Those are the two people that got me started in music and they like me. Why the hell would I care about someone I’ve never met... I don’t know their opinion and I don’t know them as people. But I do know that my heroes like my music, so I don’t care if I’m credible or not (to the public), because in their world I am and that makes me credible in my world.”

Ed's singles Shape Of You and Castle on the Hill both smashed the record for one-day streams on Spotify upon their release, with dedicated Sheeran followers delighted by the new material.

And as long as his fans like his music, Ed really doesn't take any notice of other, sometimes derogatory, comments.

"I see a lot of people taking pops at me… they’ll have a pop as if I’m meant to care. And I don’t at all," he said.