Ed Sheeran Talks Writing One Direction’s “Little Things” & Working With Taylor Swift

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is lending his signature sensitivity to two of the biggest artists in the world — Taylor Swift, whose upcoming album Red includes a collaboration with him, and One Direction, whose next single, “Little Things,” was penned by Sheeran. In a recent video interview with SB.TV, Sheeran confirmed the rumors that he had written “Little Things,” saying simply that the band “asked for it, so they got it.”

He also dished about his work with Swift, explaining that not only have he and Swift become good friends but he thinks that she’s just “the loveliest.” While many American artists lose their humility, Sheeran said, Swift has managed to avoid becoming a “douchebag.” High praise! Watch the interview above, then head after the jump for more.

“In England once you get to a certain point you kind of know everyone and everyone’s relatively humble and cool,” Sheeran said. “But in America once you get to a certain level it’s kind of like you get a douchebag pass. Like there are certain artists who are just allowed to be douches.” But not Taylor!

He went on, “[She’s] one of those people who is the biggest selling female artist in the world right now, like her last record sold just as much as Adele‘s, which is pretty mental. When I first met her I expected her to be one of these artists that is kind of allowed to have a douchebag pass, but she was just like the loveliest person that I’ve met.”

And there it is. Taylor Swift: Officially not a douchebag, no matter what John Mayer says.