He wasn’t supposed to show up—a rough-and-ready redhead kid with a guitar, living on friends’ couches and busking on the streets of London. Born in Halifax in 1991, Ed Sheeran started writing songs as a child and moved to London at sixteen to pursue his music career. With no connections or record label, he played over 300 shows in a year, often sleeping outside or on strangers’ floors.

Everything changed in 2010 when Jamie Foxx discovered him after he uploaded a passionate song online. Foxx invited Ed to Los Angeles, providing housing and access to his studio. This led to the self-released EP, the No. 5 Collaborations Project, which gained traction and caught the industry’s attention.

Ed’s debut album, plus (Plus), released in 2011, showcased his soul-stirring voice and heartfelt lyrics, featuring hits like “Lego House” and “The A Team.” By 2014, he was selling out stadiums and collaborating with major artists like Taylor Swift and Eminem, solidifying his fame with the album x (Multiply) and the wedding anthem “Thinking Out Loud.”

In 2017, his album ÷ (Divide) featured the record-breaking hit “Shape of You,” which topped charts worldwide and became one of the most-streamed songs on Spotify. The once-struggling performer transformed into a Grammy-winning superstar, proving that his music could indeed change his life.