Ed Sheeran officially launches Gingerbread Man in UK

Ed Sheeran has officially launched his Gingerbread Man Records in England, as a subsidiary of Warner Music UK.

His plans for a label were first revealed while he was in Australia in March during an interview with Nova’s Smallzy.

Gingerbread Man, which will focus on new acts, has a YouTube channel here.

“I’m extremely excited to be starting-up my own label," the singer songwriter said. "It’s something I’ve been planning for some time. I’ve always loved endorsing acts from the very beginning and I get to work with artists I truly believe in.”

He called his first signing, the appropriately red-haired Jamie Lawson “an incredible talent, who I’ve known for a couple of years.” Lawson’s self-titled debut album is due out in the UK on October 9.

Sheeran’s presence in the Australian market this year has seen him talk up the label and Lawson, whom he introduced as opening act on tour in Australia first “because I knew they’d get him”, and later through Europe/UK.

Lawson’s recent Australian shows were packed out. The general consensus was that he and Sheeran shared an irresistible voice and down-home presence but he didn’t have the star’s versatility in his song writing.

The pair also did European shows together, and Sheeran introduced his prodigy to the English media with a live set at a small London club.

24-year-old Sheeran’s second album x has sold 9 million copies worldwide and is the most streamed record on Spotify. In the UK it has been in the Top 10 for a full year and been certified 7x Platinum.

His celebrity has seen him make cameos in New Zealand sitcom Shortland Street, and his much touted appearance on Australia’s Home And Away will be shown in the UK on Channel 5 in the northern winter. He also has been offered a recurring role in FX’s gory medieval drama The Bastard Executioner.

After a hectic 24 months he’s also planning to take his foot off the pedal for his music career to do normal things. After buying a police station in his hometown of Framlingham in Suffolk and turning it into a youth club for £1million, he wants to be involved in some of its activities. He’s also supposed to be working as a volunteer in a charity store in Framlingham for four weeks, the store’s owner was quoted as saying.