Artists I Love: Ed Sheeran

From atlanticrecords.com 

What is there to say about Ed Sheeran? I came about him the way most people did, when "The A Team" and "Lego House" made it onto the radio. I had no idea what he looked like, didn't know he was British and was clueless to the fact that we were around the same age. All I knew was that I really loved his sound.

His sound. I've always been a huge fan of acoustic songs, there's just something so chilled out and intimate about the acoustic guitar. It feels like you're just chilling in someone's living room, laughing and jamming to your favorite songs. This acoustic sound is at the core of almost all of his songs.

The other side of his sound are these crazy, amazing beats and his rapping. First, let me say his lyrics are inspired and beautiful. I love lyrics, words really take a song to the next level for me. When they're clever, when they make a comparison you've never thought of, when they say exactly what you couldn't put into words. I love lyrics. Ed Sheeran writes all of his own songs, they're his words and thoughts and emotions and that is simply beautiful to me. So, in some of his songs he basically raps and it is so impressive. One of my favorite songs he does this in is "Take It Back" and it is just wonderful. In the very beginning he says, "I'm not a rapper, I'm a singer with a flow." That's literally what is and it's so different from anything out there. I love it.

This combination of beautiful lyrics, the acoustic guitar, great beats and the occasional rap makes Ed Sheeran one of my favorite artists.

It turns out, Ed is a 24 year old ginger covered in tattoos, and I love him for it. He worked so hard to get where he is and he stayed true to the sound he loves. Not many artists can say that. I've bought both of his CDs and pulled some impressive covers from YouTube. I just want more, he's an artist I don't get sick of listening to over and over again.

You know you've become a real fan when you delve into their personal lives and want to actually get to know them and learn what motivates them. I reached this point when I began following him on Instagram and Twitter. He's not only an amazing artist, he's a genuinely cool person (it seems like). He's besties with Taylor Swift and a ton of other great artists, he loves cats and he can be very sassy. I like watching his interviews because he's so real in them. He's not putting up a facade, he's just being himself and it's so refreshing.

I missed him coming to Atlanta last year when I had first moved, but I was not about to make the same mistake twice. I am ecstatic to see Ed Sheeran live at Philips Arena in Atlanta Saturday, September 12th.

Ed Sheeran is unlike anyone else out there today. His success is so well deserved and I can't wait to see what the future holds for him.

xx Kristen

You should buy both of his CDs immediately but here are some songs to for sure check out:
Drunk - Ed Sheeran
Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran
Wake Me Up - Ed Sheeran
Tenerife Sea - Ed Sheeran
Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
Don't - Ed Sheeran