Ed Sheeran Talks Taylor Swift, Dating in the Spotlight: 'It Always, Always Backfires'

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Ed Sheeran opened up about his romantic life, upcoming album and his standing as one of the only male members in Taylor Swift’s squad in a brand new interview.

"I just never want to be public," Sheeran told Billboard of dating in the spotlight. "It always, always backfires. I really wish I could disappear at moments that I’m with a significant other. It’s none of anyone’s f---ing business."

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While Sheeran has never been romantically involved with Swift -- he once joked that her height makes the pair look "like cast members of The Hobbit" -- the two have been good friends for years.

"It’s quite a weird thing for the No. 1 and No. 2 biggest-selling artists in the world to be close friends," Sheeran observed. "I don’t think that happens a lot."

But is he allowed to hang with Swift’s renowned squad?

"Of course," he told the magazine with a laugh. "It’s not a vaginas-only club."

Swift has been dominating the charts this year with her 1989 album, but Sheeran is ready to start challenging her place at the top of the pop throne with his upcoming third studio album.

"This is my little baby," he confessed. "Normally I don’t care much about what people think of my music. If you love it, awesome; if you don’t, go and listen to something else.’ But this time is different. This project is a lot more dear to me. I’m nervous about how it’s going to be received."

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Sheeran says his label, Atlantic Records, wants the album to come out next September, before the GRAMMY cutoff, but the singer’s not sold on the idea.

"Adele is releasing her album in the same GRAMMY category," he said with a laugh. "I don’t know if I’m brave enough to go up against her."

He might not be brave, but he’s got the support of one of the biggest names in the music industry. The singer revealed that Jay Z listened to a song off the new album after Sheeran performed with Beyonce at the Global Citizens Festival in September.

"He made me play it four times in a row and called me an alien," he said. "That was promising."

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