Ed Sheeran has finished writing his second album.

The singer-songwriter has already penned all the tracks for his next offering and plans to start working on the record properly the minute he finishes touring in October.

Speaking at Billboard Music Awards on Sunday evening (19.05.13), he confided to Billboard: ''I turned it in today. It's [released] early next year.

''It was going to be this year but I don't finish touring till October and then there's no time to get a plan together. I'm going to spend October, November, December planning and then just smash it out next year.''

The bashful redhead, who is famed for his acoustic ditties, isn't worried about the production of the record and says the most important thing is having solid foundations in the shape of great songs.

He explained: ''All the songs are written. I'm going in to record them in August. The direction will take shape then. The songs are good, which is the main thing.

''I think you can have good songs and then you can put any sort of production behind it but as long as the songs are good.''

Ed sat next to his tour buddy Taylor Swift, who he is currently supporting in the US, at the awards ceremony and took to the stage to perform his hit 'Lego House' from his 2011 debut, '+'.