Ed Sheeran has said he will end his career in the music industry if found guilty of copyright infringement.
The Grammy-winning singer is currently embroiled in a lawsuit over his 2014 number one, Thinking Out Loud, following allegations that the hit song violates the copyright of the Marvin Gaye classic Let’s Get It On.
The lawsuit has been brought about by the heirs of the late music producer Ed Townsend, who co-wrote Let’s Get It On with Marvin Gaye in the early 70s.
Now into the second week of his trial, Ed reportedly told the court on Monday that he would step back from the music world were he to be found guilty.
Asked about what would happen if he lost the case, he told the court (per the Daily Mail): “If that happens, I’m done, I’m stopping.”
“I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it,” he added.
Ed also ridiculed evidence given by one musicologist, who used computer-generated technology in an attempt to highlight similarities between the two songs.
“If I can be honest, I think what he’s doing here is criminal,” the Shivers singer stated. “I don’t know why he’s allowed to be an expert.”
Per the PA news agency, Ed told the court he had heard from other singers since the trial began, who share his worries about litigation resulting from their songwriting.
He did not identify any outright, but said they are cheering him on in his trial – and expressed their gratitude that he is standing up against what all songwriters view as a threat to their work.
Ed previously faced a lawsuit over accusations he and his co-writers ripped off the 2015 single Oh Why by Sam Chokri and Ross O’Donoghue on Ed’s signature tune Shape Of You.
In that instance, the judge ruled in Ed’s favour, stating that the writing team had neither “deliberately nor subconsciously” copied a section of Oh Why while creating their tune.