Ed Sheeran Says American Award Shows Are Full of 'Resentment and Hatred'

The singer recently performed at the MTV Video Music Awards

Ed Sheeran is not a fan of American award shows. Fresh off of his time at the MTV Video Music Awards -- and his epic performance of his song, "Shivers," -- the 30-year-old British singer told Audacy radio host Julia why he doesn't enjoy attending the U.S. ceremonies.

"The room is filled with resentment and hatred towards everyone else and it’s quite an uncomfortable atmosphere," he explained. "All the artists are sweet people, but they’re, like, surrounded by entourages that want them to win too, so it’s one artist surrounded by 10 people and another artist surrounded by 10 people and everyone is kind of giving each other the side eye."

Sheeran went on to note that his feelings were not toward the VMAs specifically, but rather the culture at all American award shows.

"It’s nothing to do with MTV or the award show," he said of Sunday's ceremony, where he was nominated for three awards. "It’s at all the other awards shows [too]; Billboards, GRAMMYs… AMAs. It’s just lots of people wanting other people to fail and I don’t like that."

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS

According to Sheeran, other artists have similar feelings to him about the U.S. ceremonies.

"People get the same feeling as me at those award shows. I’ve spoke to people and they’re like, 'I just felt really depressed afterwards,'" he said. "The atmosphere is just not nice… It’s a really, really horrible atmosphere to be in there. I always walk away feeling sad and I don’t like it."

Sheeran's feelings extend toward the American after-parties, too.

"The after-parties, again… it’s not just musicians. It’s musicians, all their entourages, then you got influencers and blah blah blah," he said.

As a whole, Sheeran said the U.S. experience differs from that of his native United Kingdom.

"In England, our award shows are just, like, everyone gets drunk and no one really cares who wins or loses," he said. "It’s just sort of a good night out."

While he may not have fun at the award ceremonies, Sheeran has picked up quite a few American accolades through the years. He has seven Billboard Music Awards, four GRAMMYs, one American Music Award statue and two VMA moon men.

ET's Rachel Smith spoke to Sheeran at the VMAs, and the singer teased what fans can expect from his upcoming  album, =, which is due out Oct. 29.

"I got married. I became a father," he told ET. "I lost a really close friend and turned 30. I feel like it's a coming to terms album."

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