He is one of the world’s best selling artists, having sold sold more than 150 million records since he burst onto the music scene in 2011.
Yet Ed Sheeran was told he’d never make it as a star because of his ginger hair and was urged to give up rapping by previous management.
His current manager Stuart Camp, who has helped guide Ed’s rise, made the claim about an unnamed firm he took over from in 2011.
Pressure: Ed Sheeran was told he’d never make it in the music industry with ginger hair and was urged to give up rapping early in his career
Stuart told The Sun: ‘The other management actually resigned from him because they said he wasn’t going anywhere.
‘He had to drop the looping pedal, dye his hair black and give up the rapping.’
Ed had been on a break from making music following the birth of his first daughter Lyra with wife Cherry Seaborn last month.
However manager Stuart recently told the Straight Up podcast: ‘We’ve started recording now. We’ll probably put a record out this time next year.
‘I’m looking at a piece of paper that actually has the track listing for the album after the next one on it. He’s always one or two albums ahead.’
Meteoric rise: Ed is one of the world’s best selling artists, having sold sold more than 150 million records since he burst onto the music scene in 2011
Last year, Ed revealed he would cry every day after school after being taunted by his fellow peers for his ginger hair, glasses and a stutter.
In spite of his ‘odd’ and ‘quirky’ appearance, the musician said it was his differences that finally led to his musical success.
During an interview with DJ Nihal and rapper Dave for campaign group Love Music Hate Racism, the singer also revealed that it was music that finally brought him confidence and allowed him to fit in.
When asked if he felt he was different at school Ed replied: ‘Well yeah because I was ginger so I was instantly ripped into from the day I started school.
‘Ginger, had a stutter, wore huge glasses, just a bit odd, but then as I got older I kind of loved it.
Speaking out: Ed’s current manager Stuart Camp (pictured) who has helped guide his rise, revealed that Ed had been instructed to dye his hair black and stop rapping
‘I have always looked a little bit quirky and I never had much luck with girls it was always like I looked a bit weird and then when I started playing music every time I would do a gig everyone was like ”oh it’s the ginger guy with the small guitar” and you get remembered for that.
‘And then suddenly you start gaining a bit of attraction because you are memorable. The thing I always say to kids now is it’s great to be weird.’
Now topping the charts with his global success, Ed described how there was once a time he would cry every day after returning home from primary school.
Family time: Ed has been on a break from making music following the birth of his first daughter Lyra with wife Cherry Seaborn last month
He said: ‘I hated primary school with a passion. I would cry every single day.
‘And then I got to high school and started playing guitar, I joined a band and music is just one of these things which gives you confidence and you’re suddenly like ”wow I can actually do something well”’.
‘Before I picked up a guitar I literally did nothing.
‘I went to a primary school that was quite sporty and I couldn’t play sport and that was it. That was how you were cool.
‘If you are good at football you are cool and I wasn’t good at football but then when I started high school it was such a melting pot of different things that I started playing the guitar and started fitting in.’
Meanwhile, earlier this month comedy show Spitting Image redesigned its Ed puppet over fears sticking a carrot on top of the singer’s head would offend ginger people.
Instead, designers have replaced the carrot with turnip leaves instead.
The last-minute change was made after television executives saw a preview of the show and feared it would cause too much offence.
The satirical puppet show, which was watched by 15 million viewers in its heyday, is returning on BritBox.
Change: Earlier this month comedy show Spitting Image redesigned its Ed puppet over fears sticking a carrot on top of the singer’s head would offend ginger people