WITH the hits All Time Low and Glad You Came for The Wanted, Dear Darlin’ for Olly Murs and One Direction’s new one Best Song Ever, singer-songwriter Ed Drewett ought to be a household name.

But despite his writing success, the 25-year-old, who trained at The Centre performing arts college in Charlton after leaving school at 16, told Tina Campbell he has had a turbulent time as a recording artist.

The title of his new independently-released single, Undefeated, is poignant - he has gone through two record labels and been able to release one single.

“I’m surprised people don’t think I’m the grim reaper of A&R!” he joked. “During my time on the labels I saw 8 A&R guys get fired, and, with each firing comes a new regime and the need to build new relationships.

“It was making me miserable, and I’m not normally like that. I definitely had a time when I thought ‘is it worth it?”

He added: “Undefeated was written during one of my worst times. It was the last song I wrote with my first record label and it was basically written about all of the tough times that I’d be having at the label and I was determined to not be defeated by it all. It seemed very suiting to bring it out as my first independent release.”

“It has been in reserve for a good few years. I was sent over to LA to write it, came back and got dropped. Signed another deal and got dropped again.”

Having been dropped by two record labels, how does the writer of The Wanted’s number one debut, get out of an All Time Low?

“You write a bangin’ song!” he chuckled.

Incredulously, All Time Low was turned down by his own label.

“All Time Low was originally meant for me, but my record label at the time didn’t like it so I gave it to the boys [The Wanted]. Having it go straight in at number one, was like, ‘wow!’ At first I thought, ‘this is easy!”

Ed's single Undefeated is out now.

Ed Drewett spoke to Meridian Radio presenter Tina Campbell during her Craveonmusic show broadcast from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital station in Woolwich.

Meridian Radio is a charity funded operation broadcast from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in and manned entirely by volunteers. For more information, visit meridianradio.co.uk or craveonentertainment.com