Tour news: Ed Sheeran thinks big for NZ return

Ed Sheeran enjoyed the country after finishing his recent tour. Photo / AP

British pop sensation plans to perform at Mt Smart Stadium in December — but says he’ll still be playing solo.

He's only just finished touring the country, but Ed Sheeran is already keen to come back.

The British pop star has confirmed he'll return at the end of the year to perform his biggest New Zealand show yet, at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on December 12.

"Moving to stadium shows is pretty nuts for me," Sheeran told the Herald while enjoying a break in the North Island after finishing his recent tour.

"It's definitely going to be a better set. It will be more polished. I've still got to plan it - but it's going to be good."

Filling an outdoor stadium will be another step up for the redheaded singer, known for his hits A-Team, Lego House, Sing and his most recent single Bloodstream.

The British one-man-band uses just an acoustic guitar and layered vocal harmonies - fed through a loop pedal - to create his music live from scratch.

He's just done that over four well-received dates in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch but this time he will do it all solo on a huge stadium stage.

Sheeran promises he'll be practising a lot before his December show.

"I'm doing a bunch of stadium shows in other countries beforehand - I should be used to it by then, hopefully."

And Sheeran is resisting the urge to add anyone else to his live show.

"I haven't done anything different for the past 10 years.

"So it's the same thing that I've always been doing and I think if I changed it up now it wouldn't be any good. So that's what I'm doing ... I'm not fixing anything that isn't broken."

The 24 year-old singer, who first performed here in 2012, shot to fame with his debut album + in 2011. His second album x was named Spotify's most-streamed album for 2014 and won British Album of the Year at the 2015 Brit Awards.

Ed Sheeran performs in a special secret show at Christchurch Botanical Gardens. Photo / Alexander Hallag

Sheeran was reluctant to reveal where in the country he was when he spoke to the Herald by phone.

"Well ... It wouldn't really make it a secret holiday if I told everyone where I was," the British star said.

Fair enough.

"I haven't been doing much. I have four days in between here and South America, so I've just been chilling - it's sweet. Australia and New Zealand [have been] quite full on."

Sheeran says he's hoping to get his third album done this year.

"I need to make it. I was meant to have from July off and now I don't so I think it's going to take a bit longer," Sheeran said.

"I'm trying to write little pieces every now and then, but not really pressuring myself too much.

"I just want to have some time to do that, but I keep booking in shows so it's getting less and less likely.

"But it's my own fault for saying yes."

The singer doesn't want to turn away any opportunities, confessing that "it would be bad to turn down a stadium show".

"I just like working to be honest ... I guess that's the main thing."

And Sheeran has been working hard, riding the success of his second studio album x.

"It's good to know [that it's done well]. I was worried quite a lot with that album - but it was successful.

"A second album is always kind of make or break. You can either have a long career after a second album, or it can stunt you."

But even though Sheeran is being stretched for time to fit in everything he wants to do he's not too down about it.

"I make a living doing what I love and I think that's definitely the best part about what I do."

Tickets for Sheeran's December show go on sale on May 5, with a pre-sale beginning on April 27.

Ed's Kiwi links

March, 2013 - Ed gets inked: Ed has a plethora of tattoos covering his body and on his 2013 visit he added another tattoo to his collection. Hamilton tattoo artist Russell Wilson was flown down to Wellington to tattoo Sheeran with a Ta Moko on his left arm.

March, 2013 - The Lord of the Rings sword: Sheeran spent time in Wellington in 2013 to work on the song I See Fire for the Hobbit movie, The Desolation of Smaug. While there the singer spent time with Kiwi director Peter Jackson, and even bought a replica of The Lord Of The Rings sword "Sting".

Ed Sheeran on the set of Shortland Street last year.

June, 2014 - Shortland Street cameo: Before last year's Auckland show, Ed took the opportunity to appear on beloved TV soap Shortland Street. Sheeran's cameo aired on June 23, to coincide with the New Zealand release of his second full-length album, x.

April, 2015 - holiday time: After his four-date tour concluded, Ed was believed to have spent a week on holiday here. He wouldn't tell the Herald where he went though, saying only: "We had to get the helicopter to get to where we are ... it wouldn't really make it a secret holiday if I told everyone where I was. I was pretty north, I know that."