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Edward
Christopher Sheeran was born on February 17, 1991, in Halifax, West
Yorkshire. From a young age, he was fascinated by music. He started singing
in a church choir at the age of four and learned to play guitar around
eleven. His parents, active in the art world, nurtured his creativity. During
his teenage years in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs and
performing at local venues. In 2004, he released his first self-recorded
work, titled "Spinning Man", followed by EPs like "The Orange
Room", "Ed Sheeran" and "Want Some?".
In 2008, Sheeran moved to London to seriously pursue a music career. He
performed hundreds of times in small clubs and on the streets, gradually
building a loyal fan base. His breakthrough came in 2010 when he uploaded a
live version of "You Need Me, I Don’t Need You" to the online
platform SB.TV. The video went viral and caught the attention of rapper
Example, who invited him on tour. That same year, he released the EP
"Loose Change", featuring the track "The A Team". This
song would later become his first major hit.
Early in 2011, his EP "No. 5 Collaborations Project" was
released, on which he collaborated with grime artists such as Wiley and
Devlin. Without a label or promotional support, it reached the second spot on
the UK iTunes chart. Soon after, he signed with Asylum Records. In April, he
appeared on "Later… with Jools Holland", performing "The A
Team" live. The single became a huge success and topped the UK singles
chart. That September, his debut album "+" was released, featuring
songs such as "Lego House", "Drunk", "Small
Bump" and "Give Me Love". The album was both a commercial and
critical success, selling over a million copies within six months in the UK
alone.
In 2012, Sheeran won two Brit Awards: British Breakthrough Act and Best
British Male Solo Artist. He also co-wrote "Moments" for One
Direction and collaborated with Taylor Swift on "Everything Has
Changed". In 2013, he provided "I See Fire" as the soundtrack
for the film "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug". His second
album "x" was released in June 2014, featuring hits like
"Sing", "Don’t", "Photograph" and
"Thinking Out Loud". For the latter, he received two Grammy Awards
in 2016: Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
His popularity continued to grow. In 2015, he won more Brit Awards and
received the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year. He founded his
own label, Gingerbread Man Records, and embarked on a world tour. In 2016, he
took a break from social media and returned a year later with new music. On
January 6, 2017, he released "Shape of You" and "Castle on the
Hill", followed by the record-breaking album "÷" in March.
This album also featured "Galway Girl", "Perfect" and
"Happier". "Perfect" became a global number one and was
the UK’s Christmas hit of 2017.
In 2018, Sheeran married his childhood friend Cherry Seaborn. A year later,
he released "No.6 Collaborations Project", featuring artists such
as Justin Bieber, Cardi B and Bruno Mars. The album spawned hits like "I
Don’t Care", "Beautiful People" and "Take Me Back to
London". In 2020, he announced the birth of his daughter, Lyra
Antarctica. By then, Sheeran's career had seen an impressive string of
successes — from sold-out stadiums to billions of streams. By the end of the
decade, he was named the UK’s most successful artist of the 2010s.
After the birth of his daughter, much changed in Sheeran’s life. He had
already expressed his eagerness to become a father, and Lyra’s arrival
brought new inspiration. He temporarily withdrew from the spotlight to focus
on his family but continued working behind the scenes on new music. In later
interviews, he shared that this period helped him reevaluate his life and
that he found greater peace and balance.
In October 2021, Sheeran returned with the album "=", pronounced
“equals”, in which he explored deeper and more personal themes. The album
featured tracks such as "Shivers", "Bad Habits",
"Visiting Hours" and "Overpass Graffiti". "Bad
Habits" became a major international hit and showcased a more electronic
side of his music. "Visiting Hours" was an emotional tribute to his
late friend and mentor Michael Gudinski. The album demonstrated Sheeran’s
growth as a person and artist, showing how he channeled his experiences as a
father, partner and friend into his music. "=", topping charts in
multiple countries, reaffirmed his status as one of the biggest names in pop
music.
In 2022, Ed Sheeran embarked on his major "+–=÷×" tour, also
known as the "Mathematics Tour." This global journey took him to
dozens of countries and stadiums across the world. His performances were
marked by stunning loop pedal sets, allowing him to build a full-band sound entirely
on his own. During the tour, he also previewed new songs and kept in touch
with fans via social media. Despite the immense success of his concerts, Ed
remained approachable and down-to-earth — a trait that only added to his
charm.
In May 2023, Ed released the album "-", pronounced “Subtract,”
the final installment of his mathematical series. The album took on a
noticeably different tone from his earlier work: raw, intimate, and steeped
in themes of loss, vulnerability, and healing. Tracks such as "Eyes
Closed," "Boat," "Salt Water," and "Life Goes
On" reflected the difficult period he had endured. While recording, he
lost his close friend Jamal Edwards, faced illness within his family, and
dealt with lawsuits over alleged plagiarism. These events all shaped the
music of "-", which was produced by Aaron Dessner of The National.
Their collaboration brought a melancholic and alternative sound to the
record, earning praise from critics.
Later that year, Ed also released "Autumn Variations," an album
outside the mathematical sequence, issued via his own label Gingerbread Man
Records. This project was inspired by the changing seasons and the personal
lives of his friends. Each track was based on a story, situation, or emotion
he had observed in his close circle. With "Autumn Variations," Ed
aimed for artistic freedom without the pressure of commercial success. Though
the album lacked traditional radio hits, it was appreciated for its sincerity
and unique perspective.
Meanwhile, Ed remained active as a songwriter for other artists. His name
appeared in the credits of performers like Camila Cabello, BTS, and Elton
John. Together with Elton John, he released the holiday song "Merry
Christmas" in late 2021, which dominated the festive season in the UK.
This collaboration led to an alternative version — a mashup with "Don’t
Stop Me Eatin’" by LadBaby — which helped Ed contribute to multiple
Christmas number-one hits. He also maintained his commitment to charity and
community efforts, donating frequently to good causes and supporting local
initiatives in his native Suffolk.
In his personal life, Ed continued to seek balance. His second daughter,
Jupiter, was born in 2022, but Ed and Cherry chose to keep their family life
mostly private. They lived on an estate in Suffolk that Ed affectionately
called “Sheeranville,” a cluster of houses he purchased and renovated into a
sustainable, peaceful home. It became a haven where he could retreat, record
music in his home studio, enjoy nature, and spend time with loved ones.
Beyond music, Ed developed an interest in other creative pursuits. In
interviews, he spoke fondly of gardening and cooking, and he appeared in
various documentaries and podcasts. In 2023, the Disney+ documentary "Ed
Sheeran: The Sum of It All" was released, where he candidly discussed
his life, music, fears, and aspirations. Fans got an unfiltered view of who
he truly is — beyond the spotlight.
Ed Sheeran’s music career has taken on many dimensions over the years. From
a boy with a guitar on the streets of London to an artist with global reach,
millions of albums sold, and sold-out stadiums. What sets him apart isn’t
just his talent, but his sincerity, his bond with the audience, and his
ability to evolve musically. Whether he’s singing an acoustic love song or
experimenting with electronic beats, his authenticity remains
unmistakable.
With an impressive body of work behind him and an ever-growing curiosity
for new stories, Ed Sheeran seems determined to keep creating. His biography
is one of musical evolution, emotional depth, and lasting influence on
contemporary pop culture. |
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