Ed Sheeran
Jun 1, 2014
Edward Christopher "Ed" Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter. Raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he moved to London in 2008 to pursue a musical career. In early 2011, Sheeran released an independent extended play, No. 5 Collaborations Project, which caught the attention of both Elton John and Jamie Foxx. He then signed to Asylum Records. His 2011 debut album, +, containing the singles "The A Team" and "Lego House", was certified quintuple platinum in the United Kingdom. In 2012, he won two BRIT Awards for Best British Male and British Breakthrough. "The A Team" won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.
Sheeran began to be known in the United States in 2012. He made a guest appearance on Taylor Swift's fourth studio album, Red, and wrote songs for One Direction. "The A Team" was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards and he performed the song in duet with Elton John during the ceremony. He spent much of 2013 touring North America as the opening act for Taylor Swift's Red Tour. His second studio album is titled x, read as "multiply", and is scheduled for worldwide release on 23 June 2014. He was nominated for Best New Artist at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
Sheeran was also featured on "Old School Love", the lead single from Lupe Fiasco's fifth studio album Tetsuo & Youth. Sheeran also features on Naughty Boy's debut album Hotel Cabana, on the track "Top Floor (Cabana)".
Sheeran released his first single in two years, "I See Fire", to be featured in the end credits of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug as well as on the film's soundtrack.
Sheeran's second studio album is titled x (read as "multiply"), and is scheduled for a worldwide release on 23 June 2014. He recorded the album in Los Angeles with legendary producer Rick Rubin, who advised Sheeran to record the album acoustically with a good mood; extra instrumentation was added later. Foy Vance has co-written a number of the songs. He debuted an album track, "Tenerife Sea", at Madison Square Garden in October 2013. "Sing", the lead single, was released on April 7th.