Ed Sheeran says he quit Twitter over abuse from online trolls, claiming many of them are Lady Gaga fans who think he mocked her - so she's come to his defence.
The 'Shape of You' hitmaker told The Sun this week he's "come off Twitter completely" over the "mean things" people were saying, many of which came after what was misread as negative comments he made about Gaga in an interview.
The 'Poker Face' hitmaker, who has often spoken out against cyber-bullying, responded with an Instagram photo of the pair together and a message of love.
"I wish all people on the internet would be positive and loving and apart of creating an online community that is kind and empowering, not hateful and mean," she says.
"No reason to tear down an artist simply because they are on top. Work harder to be kinder everybody. That should be your first duty to humanity."
What apparently set the 'Monsters' (Gaga fans) off was an interview Sheeran did with New Zealand-born radio personality Zane Lowe earlier this year.
"I do not want to be the kind of artist who has had two successful albums and then feels invincible. I have to know when to listen to people, or I'll end up like those artists you've interviewed in recent years," said Sheeran.
"You've seen them become the biggest artists in the world, and then suddenly they will say, 'I know everything!' And just after, they are no longer at the top.
"The smartest thing to do is listen to people who know I do not want to do the Super Bowl years later, after my biggest success, just to prove I'm still relevant."
Not only did Gaga's Monsters read this as a cryptic attack on her, it was reported as such by some websites, which kicked off a slew of "vile" online messages.
"Lady Gaga's fanbase read an interview in which they assumed I was talking about her and they all f**king hate. And it wasn't anything to do with that at all," Sheeran told The Sun.
"So, I think Twitter gets on a massive steam roll of assuming things and then you get in the s**t.
"I've actually come off Twitter completely. I can't read it. I go on it and there's nothing but people saying mean things. One comment ruins your day... The headf**k for me has been trying to work out why people dislike me so much."
Sheeran has sold a mammoth number of tickets to his Kiwi fans for 2018 concerts in Auckland and Dunedin.
Newshub.
