Ed Sheeran: Fatherhood made me change my bad habits

Pop star Ed Sheeran says he has changed his approach to life and work since the birth of his daughter Lyra last year.

"As soon as Cherry told me she was pregnant, life shifted, in terms of work and health and what I was putting into my body, be it food or alcohol," he told BBC Radio 1's Greg James.

"I started exercising more and my routine became a bit more healthy."

The star also changed his work habits, working "nine to five" instead of finishing recording sessions at 2am.

"It actually freaks out producers," he said. "I was in Los Angeles working with these producers that usually start working at 6pm and finish at 6am with people like Post Malone and Dua [Lipa].

"I was like, 'Yeah, we're starting at nine'. And they were like, 'What?'

"But I do find you get more done. There's less faffing."

Sheeran and wife Cherry Seaborn announced the birth of their first child, Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran, in August, telling fans they were "completely in love".

The pop star later revealed the newborn was "not my biggest fan" and "just cries" when he sings his new songs to her.

Speaking to Apple Music's Zane Lowe, he also said becoming a father had changed his relationship with his parents.

"It was amazing before, but now it's just like there's this eternal gratefulness and respect of being like, I know what they went through and I'm still going through it.

"And also, the other thing is, no-one knows what they're doing. I see people and I'm like, 'Oh my God, that guy's the best dad in the world'. But he started off like me, like not knowing anything.

"I'm learning day by day. So I think it's amazing,"

The 30-year-old was speaking as he revealed the first single from his untitled fifth studio album.

Bad Habits is a fleet-footed dance tune that finds the star lamenting poor choices and an unhealthy lifestyle.

"My bad habits lead to late nights, endin' alone/ Conversations with a stranger I barely know/ Swearin' this will be the last but it probably won't," he sings.

Sheeran said the bass-heavy beats were designed to "surprise people".

"I wrote this song in January when I'd sort of finished the album," he told Radio 1. "And it had no songs on there that would surprise people.

"People see me as the acoustic singer-songwriter who does ballads and there was just a lot of that. So I wanted to go in the studio and make something that was totally different. I spent a month and just made lots of mad tunes - and this was one of the mad ones."

The song's video sees Sheeran turn into a vampire, dressed in a shocking pink suit, with razor-sharp fangs while flying through the sky.

He said the clip, which was directed by Dave Meyers, was inspired by both the lyrics and his love of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

"I wanted the video for Bad Habits to play on the nature of habits in a fantastical way, so I decided on vampires. It was mega fun getting into character, except for the heights. That wasn't so fun."

Sheeran will perform the new song when he plays live from Ipswich Town's Portman Road football stadium later on Friday as part of TikTok's Uefa Euro 2020 show.

The singer, who lives in Suffolk and is an Ipswich fan, recently signed a one-year deal to sponsor the shirts of the men's and women's first teams.

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