Ed Sheeran Reveals He Almost Quit Music - Thank God He Didn't!

Ed Sheeran has confessed in his new book that he almost quit music.

In an extract from A Visual Journey published by The Mirror, the Thinking Out Loud singer recalls how he was ready to call it a day after a show in London back in 2010 because he was sick of having no money.

Sheeran explains: "There came a point when I wanted to quit. When I thought: 'This is horrible. This isn’t going to work'.

"It was December 2010 and I’d sold out Cargo in Shoreditch, the biggest show I’d ever played. There were 500 people there... even my dad turned up.

"After the show, I was drinking with my dad and loads of other people. One by one, they started leaving. My dad said: 'Do you mind if I get off?' Then it was just me and the bar staff. 'We’ve got to go,' they said. 'Cool, safe,' I said."

He continues: "I took out my phone. It was dead. I was really drunk, but very aware that I had no money on me at all. I’d spent all the cash I had buying people drinks. 'This isn’t great,' I thought.

"I’d worked really f***ing hard and gigged my ass off for three years. I’d released four EPs. I’d just played a sold-out show. But I’d come out of it with no money, no place to live, a dead phone and nowhere to go."

Ed goes on to add: "I ended up walking to a friend’s house and burst into tears. 'Dude, I can’t do this any more'. I was in a proper state."

However, Sheeran goes on to state how "quickly" things changed for him, from receiving calls from Elton John to singing on stage with Paul McCartney.

He states: "Twelve months after releasing the No. 5 Collabor­ations Project as an unsigned, independent act, I’d won Breakthrough Artist at the BT Digital Music Awards, Best Single at the Q Awards and been nominated for a Best Newcomer MOBO.

"In February 2012 I won two BRIT Awards for British Breakthrough and British Solo Male Artist, and in May I won the Ivor Novello."

"In June I performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert. At the end of the show I was on stage singing with Paul McCartney.

"It was incredible, to be honest. While we were doing the national anthem, Stevie Wonder was behind me – literally right behind me – playing it on his harmonica. It was such a surreal experience."

Love Ed? Watch 'Storytellers – Ed Sheeran' this Saturday (January 25) at midnight on MTV Music.