Ed Sheeran has said he will leave the music industry if he loses his ongoing copyright infringement trial.
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The singer-songwriter is currently going through court proceedings for a plagiarism trial related to his 2015 song ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
Back in 2016, the pop star was sued by Ed Townsend – one of the co-writers on the classic Marvin Gaye track ‘Let’s Get It On’ – who accused him of copying the song in ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
The accusations allege that Sheeran and co-writer Amy Wadge copied the rhythm of the 1973 song, as well as an ascending four-chord sequence. It also references “striking similarities” between the two tracks that violate the copyright. Sheeran denies claims he copied Gaye’s song.
Speaking to the court in Manhattan on Monday (May 1), the artist reportedly took to the stand to insist he would be “done” with music if found guilty (via MailOnline).
“If that happens, I’m done, I’m stopping,” he said while describing the toll the trial is taking on him.
“I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it,” he added.
Last week, it emerged that a lawyer claimed Sheeran ‘confessed’ to copying Gaye by mashing up the two songs at one of his concerts.
During the case, Sheeran’s attorney Irene Farkas told the court that the “heartfelt song” was written “without copying” Gaye, and features elements that are commonly used in pop music.
However, attorney Ben Crump retaliated, claiming that the singer “confessed” to copying Gaye when he mashed the two songs up at a live show (via The Associated Press).
“If I’d done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be an idiot to stand on stage in front of 20,000 people [and do that],” Sheeran said last week (April 25), responding to the allegations (via Rolling Stone). “It is my belief that most pop songs are built on building blocks that have been freely available for 100s of years.”
Meanwhile, laughter reportedly broke out during the trial after the court was played an AI version of Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’.
The singer-songwriter made headlines over the weekend after his wife Cherry Seaborn revealed that the singer wrote “seven songs in four hours” after learning of her cancer diagnosis. Sheeran has previously said that his new songs, many of which make up his upcoming album ‘-‘ (Subtract), out May 5, are based on the “unbreakable” bond he formed with Seaborn through her illness.
Last week, Sheeran shared details of intimate North American tour dates, which take place amid his stadium tour.