He was not expected to arrive. A rough-and-ready redhead kid with a guitar who busks on London’s streets, sleeps on friends’ couches, and plays small gigs for very little cash. He had no ties in the industry or a record company, only an unwavering determination and the conviction that his music might transform his life. And it did.
He was raised in a tiny town and began creating songs before he was even a teenager. He was born in Halifax, England, in 1991. He began recording his own EPs and performing at open mic evenings after being influenced by Damien Rice. In an attempt to make a name for himself in the music industry, he left school at the age of sixteen and relocated to London. However, success wasn’t a given. In a year, he performed at more than 300 shows, occasionally sleeping on the floors of strangers or outside because he had nowhere else to go.
Then, in 2010, everything was different.
He posted an honest, passionate song to the internet, and Jamie Foxx, an unlikely fan, took notice. He was invited to Los Angeles by the Hollywood icon, who also provided lodging and allowed him to record in his studio. Soon after, the No. 5 Collaborations Project, a self-released EP, began to gain popularity. Without a record deal, one of the tracks peaked at number two on iTunes. The industry was forced to pay attention.
When his first album, plus (Plus), came out in 2011, his soul-stirring voice and poignant lyrics instantly captured the attention of the globe. Songs like “Lego House” and “The A Team” catapulted him to fame. However, that was only the start.
By 2014, he was releasing success after hit, working with artists like Eminem, The Weeknd, and Taylor Swift, and selling out stadiums. He became a worldwide sensation because to his album x (Multiply), which featured the wedding song of a generation, “Thinking Out Loud.”
Then came ÷ (Divide) in 2017, which included one of the greatest songs ever, “Shape of You.” It became the most-streamed song on Spotify for years, reached the top of charts in 34 countries, and solidified his place among the all-time best-selling artists.
The child who used to perform on the streets of London for pennies turned into a Grammy-winning, stadium-filling, chart-topping superstar. Ed Sheeran is his name.
