I definitely understand and acknowledge that everyone has their own music taste and favorite celebrities, but there is a point where truly talented artists should be recognized. Ed Sheeran is a world-known, platinum album, song-of-the-year-winning singer/songwriter. Even if Sheeran's music isn't your style, his talent and character should be respected and valued. I have gathered data, statistics, and quotes written and sung by the soulful artist in order to compile a list of reasons why Ed Sheeran is a celebrity, unlike the rest.
1. He is the number one artist on Spotify.
Starting out with the boring numerical reasoning, Ed Sheeran is the number one listened to artist on Spotify worldwide. He has 40,236,631 monthly listeners...just let that sink in. His music is globally known because he writes songs about everywhere and every culture. For example, his song "Bibia Be Ye Ye" is in Ghanian language, and his music video takes place in Ghana. His song "Galway Girl" is about Ireland. His song "Barcelona" is about his time in the city of Barcelona, etc. He appeals to the globe because he writes about the globe.
2. He is a true singer/songwriter.
Ed Sheeran writes every single word of every song that he produces, and even helps other artists and bands such as One Direction, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Tori Kelly, and many others. He doesn't depend on others to write his lyrics out. He takes his time to create albums and carefully thinks through each piece that he writes and sings. He also writes lyrics about being a songwriter:
"I write my own tune and I write my own verse out / call yourself a singer/writer, you're just bluffing, name's on the credits, but you didn't write nothing." -"You Need Me, I Don't Need You."
3. He does not own a cell phone.
Something so simple yet interesting about Ed Sheeran is that when he went off the grid for a year while creating his newest album, "Divide," he threw out his cell phone. He described in his interview with Ellen Degeneres that he was sick of waking up and looking at his phone right away and letting the world of technology run his days. This may not seem like a big deal, but to me, it doesn't just show the fact that he can live without a cell phone, it shows how non-materialistic he is. So many famous and mainstream celebrities are so self-absorbed and obsessed with media, but Sheeran couldn't care less about those types of things.
4. Performs all alone at his concerts.
Yes, Ed Sheeran is the only person that is on stage while he holds a concert. There are no backup singers, dancers, or even a band. It is him, his guitar, and his favorite device called a "loop pedal." His talent with the loop pedal is very intriguing because it is so unique and original to his personal style and performances. Sheeran stands on stage with the loop pedal by his feet and he uses the device to record himself as he sings live into the microphone. He uses this to make beats as well as harmonize with the sound of his own voice! It is like listening to an a-cappella band with only one person in the band, which is amazing.
5. Has his own style of music.
I have been asked so many times what category Sheeran's music falls under, and I never seem to know how to answer. He does it all. He has very popular pop songs that everyone knows, such as "Shape of You," "Castle on the Hill," and "Photograph." He also has a banjo and folk-type feel in his songs "Nancy Mulligan" and "Galway Girl." There is also a sense of rock in his song "Bloodstream," and surprisingly he is a very good rapper and can sing quick lyrics that can be heard in his songs "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" and "Take it Back." Sheeran has a sense of style for all types of people, genres, and ages.
6. He tells a story in all of his songs.
This is honestly one of my top favorite things about Ed Sheeran. He is so real. All of his songs have a meaning behind them or tell a story if you take the time to listen to his lyrics carefully. Some of my favorites include "Nancy Mulligan" which is a song about his grandparents and how they met. "Don't" which tells a personal story about someone who he dated and ended up cheating on him. "Runaway" which talks about his dad and the time that Ed decided to go out on his own and leave his home.
7. He doesn't let fame affect his roots.
Ed Sheeran is proud of where he comes from and who his family and friends are. This is clearly able to be heard in his song, "Castle on the Hill," when he tells the story of his close friends that he grew up with. He stays true to who he was raised to be and doesn't let fame affect the way he acts or treats others. There are a lot of ways one could get trapped in the hub of the music industry, but Sheeran doesn't let anything get to him or change his attitude and stays true to himself. He loves everything about who he is and recognizes that he has flaws, but loves that about himself. He doesn't live the "mainstream celebrity" life and stays connected to where he comes from.
8. He promotes self-love.
This is why I love Ed Sheeran. My number one reason is he is an amazing artist and person. He promotes self-love through his songs, interviews, and during his concerts. My favorite quote ever written says, "We can all be loved the way that God made us," which is in Sheeran's song, "Nina." Body image should not be the number one aspect on our priority lists and instead focus on spreading kindness and positivity around the world. His self-loving and world-kindness philosophy can be heard throughout his whole song, "What Do I Know?" He wants everyone to be themselves, find their happiness and spread that love and happiness to everyone across the globe.
