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We know he can build a Lego House and it’s pretty obvious he’s a pro at playing the guitar. But did you know that Ed Sheeran was once homeless? Or that he once gave Harry Styles a tattoo?
There’s a lot more behind that red head of hair than just an incredible voice and amazing lyricist. Believe it or not, Ed is so much cooler than you originally thought.
So, to know more about the Eyes Closed singer, continue reading below. We’re about to uncover 27 Ed Sheeran facts that will make you love him even more.
1. He Has a Full(er) Name
There’s more to Ed than just “Ed”. The Equals singer’s full name is actually ‘Edward Christopher Sheeran’! We can totally understand why he chose a shorter stage name…
2. Ed Sheeran is Irish
Although he grew up in Suffolk and his parents are London-born, Ed Sheeran actually has Irish roots – both his paternal grandparents were from Ireland! The creation of his popular song, Galway Girl totally makes sense now, as it honors his Irish roots. “I come from an Irish family, spent most of my childhood summers and birthdays and Christmases in Ireland listening to trad music bands,” Ed told the BBC.
3. Music Runs in the Family
Ed isn’t the only musically gifted one in his family! His older brother, Matthew Sheeran is a composer of classical music. That’s right, there’s another ‘Sheeran’ out there who also makes beautiful music! Excuse us as we pray for a collaboration…
4. Ed Built Up His Talents at 4 Years-Old
The No.6 Collaborations Project star sang in a local church choir from the age of four and learnt to play the guitar and piano from a young age, too. He later wrote songs while he was in high school and began recording music when he was 13. In the words of his school report, Ed truly is a “natural performer”. In fact, his classmates also voted him “most likely to be famous”.
5. He Plays Many Instruments
What instruments does Ed Sheeran play? To answer your question – more than just the guitar! He also plays the piano, bass, drums and cello. Multi-talented is an understatement!
6. Eminem Helped His Childhood Stutter
Ed Sheeran has revealed that he had a stutter as a child, in which he was teased for in school. “You’d put your hand up and not be able to speak. And kids are cruel. So once that would happen, someone would imitate it. And then you’d be like, ‘I’m not going to put my hand up next time,’” he told Rolling Stone.
Believe it or not, rapping along to Eminem‘s 2000 album The Marshall Mathers LP is what helped him overcome the speech impediment. #ThanksEminem!
7. He Made Music Long Before 2011
Before Ed took center stage as an international superstar, he was independently releasing EPs. The superstar recorded 10 EPs including The Orange Room and Want Some, before releasing his debut single, The A Team. If you knew about Ed back then, consider yourself a true fan!
8. He Relied on Gigs to Make a Living
When his grant ran out after graduating from music college, Ed was forced to make a living off of his gigs and live shows. Although some events only had as little as five people in attendance, he never gave up on his dreams. Now that’s what you call dedication!
9. Ed Sheeran Slept on the Streets
Considering he’s now one of the most famous celebrities in the world with a net worth of over $100 million, this fact about Ed Sheeran is shocking, indeed. Before his rise to fame, Ed struggled to pay his rent, which resulted in him sleeping on the streets, on London Underground trains, or on his friends’ sofas.
In fact, he admits to sleeping outside Buckingham Palace for a couple of nights. This is where he gained inspiration for his song, Homeless.
10. ‘The A-Team’ Was Inspired by a Homeless Woman
Wondering why Ed’s songs are so meaningful? Most of them are based on real-life experiences. The A-Team, in particular, was inspired by a woman he met during a gig at a homeless shelter – “It’s her story. Well, the song itself was written all about her story, so the song is about a drug-addicted homeless woman”, Ed told Interview Magazine.
11. Jamie Foxx Helped Launch His Career
You have Jamie Foxx to thank for Ed Sheeran…kind of. In 2009, Ed played more than 300 live shows and gigs in order to make his way into the spotlight. It was in 2010 when he was finally spotted at The Foxxhole by none other than Jamie Foxx. The actor was so impressed with what he saw that he offered Ed the use of his recording studio in L.A, as well as a place to sleep at his Hollywood home.
Ed told Howard Stern, “Within a month of going there with zero confidence, being able to fly to L.A. with nothing and ending up in one of the biggest movie stars in the world’s house, recording…in my mind I was like, ‘I must have something.’ So, going back to England, I had this charged-up battery…and started smashing out independent EPs, doing tours all over…”
12. Ed Suffered Through Depression
In a statement and tell-all interview with Rolling Stone, Ed Sheeran admitted that he suffered “fear, depression and anxiety” in 2022, following several incidents in his life. He had lost his best friend Jamal Edwards, and his pregnant wife Cherry, had been diagnosed with a tumor.
The chart-topping star disclosed, “I felt like I didn’t want to live anymore…And I have had that throughout my life.… You’re under the waves drowning. You’re just sort of in this thing. And you can’t get out of it.” But it was writing his upcoming album Subtract that helped him somewhat recover…
13. Writing Music is His ‘Therapy’
Penning down the lyrics to his songs is what helps Ed Sheeran’s mental health. Discussing his new album Subtract, Ed revealed, “It helps me make sense of my feelings. I wrote without thought of what the songs would be, I just wrote whatever tumbled out…”
14. He Admits to Substance Abuse
This is a rather awkward Ed Sheeran fact. But indeed, the superstar admitted that he went through a patch in his life which involved drink and drugs. In the 2023 Rolling Stone interview, Ed revealed that he “used to be a party boy” in his twenties.
“I was always a drinker. I didn’t touch any sort of like, drug, until I was 24…I remember just being at a festival and being like, ‘Well, if all of my friends do it, it can’t be that bad’. And then sort of dabbling. Then it just turns into a habit that you do once a week and then once a day and then, like, twice a day and then, like, without booze. It just became bad vibes.”
But the death of his friend Jamal, from cardiac arrhythmia brought on by cocaine use, made him stop. “I would never, ever, ever touch anything again, because that’s how Jamal died. And that’s just disrespectful to his memory to even, like, go near,” he said.
Ed also confessed to “drinking a lot”, but stopped before the birth of his first child. “I don’t ever want to be pissed holding my kid. Ever, ever,” he added. “Having a couple of beers is one thing. But having a bottle of vodka is another thing…It’s just a realization of, ‘I’m getting into my thirties. Grow up! You’ve partied, you’ve had this experience. Be happy with that and just be done’.”
15. His Guitars Have Names
Yeah, you read that right – here’s a fun Ed Sheeran fact you never saw coming! The artist gives individual names tp his guitars! Ladies and gents, we introduce to you, ‘Lloyd’, ‘Felix’, ‘Cyril’, ‘Trevor’, ‘Keith’ and ‘Nigel’.
16. Ed Sheeran is Also an Actor
Not only can this lad sing, write amazing lyrics, and play the guitar – he can act, too! Does that make him a quadruple threat? Ed has starred as a character in Game of Thrones, The Bastard Executioner, Bridget Jones’s Baby, and Red Notice! In fact, he even had a role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as an alien member of the Resistance. A man of many talents!
17. His Favorite Movie is ‘Goodfellas’
Ever wondered what Ed Sheeran’s favorite movie is? The artist revealed to Buzzfeed that his most beloved film is “Goodfellas or Cool Runnings“. “I think the movie I’ve seen the most is Goodfellas, so probably Goodfellas“, he said.
18. He’s a Serious Cat Lover
No wonder he thinks his spirit animal is a “midget kitty”! Ed is obsessed with felines! The outspoken cat lover has famously shared snaps of his cats on social media who are named Calippo and Dorito. Ed even opened an Instagram account for his furry friends – @thewibbles!
19. One of His Hobbies is Playing Lego
Other than writing and playing music, Ed Sheeran’s favorite hobby is playing and building Lego. The singer told the Graham Norton Show in 2017 that he “bought the Death Star Lego kit” to celebrate his album going to number one, while he took a Lego set on a date and built it in front of her while they were chatting.
20. Ed Has Over 50 Tattoos
Ed might be the most tattooed celebrity out there with 60 to 100 tats inked on his body. They include a ketchup bottle, a cup of tea, Pingu (the penguin), Puss in Boots, the phrase ‘Festina Lente’, a family tree, and a section of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’. If you ever want to know more about Ed, just analyze his tattoos, they each tell a story!
21. The ‘Game of Thrones’ Cast Were First to Hear His Music
Ed Sheeran is a huge Game of Thrones fan. So much so, that he let them hear his fresh music! “I ended up going to a party where a lot of the Game Of Thrones lot were at. They all ended up back at my house. I’d never met some of them before and said ‘do you want to hear some of my songs?”, he told NME.
22. A Cab Driver Made Ed Remove All His Explicit Lyrics
Let’s just say Ed takes his fans’ advice very much on board. Before releasing his second album, x, the singer admitted on Twitter that he removed all its explicit lyrics after a taxi driver convinced him to.
23. He was Once Voted ‘Worst Dressed Man’
Unlike his music rival, Harry Styles, who has been dubbed ‘best-dressed musician in the world’, GQ officially voted Ed Sheeran as the ‘Worst Dressed Man’ of 2012. Apparently, wearing hoodies when performing at the 2012 Olympics isn’t a good idea. But Ed didn’t take notice of his new monkier – “Named Number One worst dressed male in GQ, glad they noticed…I did wear a Burberry suit once,” he joked on Twitter.
24. Ed Sheeran Once Lived With Courtney Cox
Here’s something you never saw coming! Ed Sheeran is apparently friends with the real-life Monica Geller! When he attended one of Courtney Cox’s house parties in 2013, he ended up staying over, as she lived “quite far out”. They bonded so well, that she actually let him live in her house in Malibu, rent-free! Now that’s what you call a good Friend!
25. He’s BFFs with Taylor Swift
Ed Sheeran is clearly best friends with all the cool people – including Taylor Swift! Not only is he BFFs with the Shake It Off popstar, he’s even got a tattoo dedicated to her! After co-writing her song, Everything Has Changed from her Red album, Ed got a Red tattoo to mark the career opportunity. “I think Taylor’s just opening up a lot of doors and it’s up to me to make sure that I get through to them. It’s a massive opportunity for me and I want to make sure to grab it with both hands.” – he told MTV.
26. Ed Has an Eating Disorder
Yet another celebrity with an eating disorder is the lovely Ed Sheeran. Speaking out about his relationship with food and body image, Ed admitted in an interview with Rolling Stone that he has “a real eating problem” and how he once compared his body with other male singers.
“I was in the One Direction wave, and I’m like, ‘Well, why don’t I have a six pack?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, because you love kebabs and drink beer.’ Then you do songs with Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes.”
“All these people have fantastic figures. And I was always like, ‘Well, why am I so … fat?’”, he continued. Although admitting to being “a real binge eater” and admittedly “gorging”, Ed has now found balance and confidence in himself. “I’m now more of a binge exerciser, and a binge dad. And work, obviously.” he said.
27. ‘Don’t’ Was About Ellie Goulding
Ed Sheeran’s dating life was always kept under wraps before marrying childhood friend Cherry Seaborn. But one fellow star that he was rumored to have dated was Ellie Goulding in 2013. Apparently, that fling came to an end when Ellie reportedly cheated on him with his pal and One Direction star, Niall Horan. Although Ellie denies the rumors, it is still believed that it was this heartbreaking incident that inspired Ed’s bitter break-up track, Don’t.
28. Ed Gave Harry Styles a Tattoo
He may not be a professional tattooist, but we *probably* wouldn’t say ‘no’ to Ed Sheeran giving us a tattoo. Not only did Ed and Harry Styles get matching Pingu tattoos back in 2013, the Perfect artist took control of the machine and tattooed a padlock on Harry’s wrist – “Kinda like a bro tat,” he told MTV. That’s what you call a bromance!
29. He Writes Songs for Major Artists
Thought Little Things by One Direction sounded like something Ed Sheeran would sing? Did Justin Bieber’s Love Yourself resemble Ed’s music? Well, that’s because he wrote those songs and many more! Ed has written great songs for the likes of Rita Ora, Jessie Ware and The Weeknd, too! He even wrote Camilla Cabello‘s Bam Bam and Little Mix‘s Woman Like Me!
30. He Has Custom-Made Sauces
Ed is a true Brit when it comes to food – other than bangers and mash, one of his favorite foods is the chicken restaurant, Nandos. He loves it so much, that the restaurant decided to roll out a custom-made ‘Ed Sheeran Peri-Peri’ sauce in 2014. The Divide singer also obsesses over Ketchup, which led to Heinz dedicating a whole line of the sauce to him named ‘Heinz Tomato Edchup’.
In 2023, Ed took matters into his own hands by launching his own brand of hot sauces named ‘Tingly Ted’s’. #Iconic
31. Ed’s Favorite Karaoke Song Is An Unexpected One
Think Ed would sing a ballad at karaoke? Or one of his famous tracks? Wrong! His favorite karaoke song is not what you would expect. Ed sings Pony by Ginuwine! We’re now wondering if performs the Magic Mike dance-moves, too?
32. He Once Hit Justin Bieber
Don’t worry, this isn’t another celebrity feud. Ed admitted that he once accidentally hit Justin Bieber in the head with a golf club whilst vacationing in Japan. “We were in Japan. We’d been out to a dive bar. He just drank water and I got hammered,” Ed told The Guardian.
“Then we went to a golf course, and he lay on the floor and put a golf ball in his mouth and told me to hit it out of his mouth…I’d cracked Justin Bieber right in the cheek with a golf club. That was, one of those ‘What the f–k?’ moments.”
33. He Has Three of the Most Popular Music Videos
Indeed, Ed Sheeran is not only one of the best-selling male artists of our generation, but also one of the most-viewed on YouTube! Thinking Out Loud, Shape of You and Perfect are listed as some of the most popular music videos ever, with over three billion views each!
34. His Favorite Hogwarts House Is Hufflepuff
You can’t be British and not be a fan of Harry Potter. When asked by Buzzfeed what Hogwarts House he would belong in, he answered ‘Hufflepuff’. “Do you know what? I always thought I’d probably be Hufflepuff. Slytherin’s pure, pure-blood and I’m kind of mixed between Irish and English. Ravenclaw’s very smart. Gryffindor’s really brave and [growl]. And Hufflepuff’s, kind of, just the one that…isn’t. So, I guess I’d be Hufflepuff.”
It doesn’t get cooler than a guy with a penguin tattoo. Heck, he’s even pals with Monica from Friends! Ed Sheeran has slept on the streets and had his heart broken by Ellie Goulding, but that hasn’t stopped him from being the super-cool, talented singer that he is today.
He truly is unstoppable. Keep doing you, Ed!
What was your favorite fact about Ed Sheeran? Do you have any more juicy trivia about the star? Let us know in the comments below!
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