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Tag: Ed Sheeran

  • Ed Sheeran’s management unveils strategies to thwart ticket touts in Leeds Crown Court trial

    Ed Sheeran’s management unveils strategies to thwart ticket touts in Leeds Crown Court trial

    The management team of English singer-songwriter Edward Christopher Sheeran MBE, also referred to as Ed Sheeran, revealed during a trial at Leeds Crown Court that they were trying to discourage ticket sellers by invalidating tickets that were resold for excessive profit.

    Mark Woods and Lynda Chenery of Norfolk face three counts of fraudulent trading related to TQ Tickets Ltd, denying the allegations.

    Stuart Camp, Sheeran’s manager, highlighted the singer’s commitment to maintaining ticket accessibility for a broad audience. 

    The trial revealed that the defendants are accused of using multiple identities to purchase tickets for artists like Sheeran and Little Mix, subsequently selling them on secondary ticket platforms for financial gain.

    During the trial, Camp detailed the pricing of Sheeran’s 2018 tour tickets, emphasising a long-term ethical business strategy. 

    Concertgoers with resold tickets faced entry restrictions, requiring ID and proof of purchase. 

    Approximately 6,300 replacement tickets were sold during the tour to rectify unauthorised ticket issues.

    National Trading Standards investigators discovered that TQ Tickets Ltd workers had bought 70 tickets for the tour at an average price of £74.17. 

    Prosecutors asserted that the company made over £6.5 million from secondary ticketing sites in two and a half years.

    Maria Chenery-Woods, described as the “driving force” behind the alleged “dishonest enterprise,” admitted fraudulent trading along with Paul Douglas. In contrast, their spouses, Mark Woods and Lynda Chenery, contest the charges as they face trial.

  • Ed Sheeran recounts “weed smoking” moments with Burna Boy

    Ed Sheeran recounts “weed smoking” moments with Burna Boy

    Popular UK singer, Ed Sheeran, recently shared an amusing experience he had with Afrobeats artist Burna Boy during a studio session.

    In a viral interview, the UK artist recalled a moment when he got exceptionally high while hanging out with the Grammy Award-winning singer.

    According to Ed Sheeran, it was the first time he had witnessed someone “ingest” such a significant amount of smoke.

    The UK musician went on to explain that he realized he was extremely high just moments before he was scheduled to go on stage for a performance at a gig later that day.

    It’s worth noting that Burna Boy and Ed Sheeran have formed a friendship, particularly following the release of their single titled ‘For My Hand’ in 2022, and their camaraderie seems to extend beyond the recording studio.

    Watch video –

    @_zanzy_zzz

    Ed Sheeran speaking on how much weed Burna Boy smokes, they had a studio session and Ed got really stoned. 😂 “there’s an artist that I work quite a lot with called Burna Boy and I’d said he’s… that’s the most I have ever seen anyone ingest weed…” #edsheran #interview #burnaboy #smoke #smokeigbo #igbo #studio #burnaboyedsheeran

    ♬ original sound – NO SIGN OF WEAKNESS BURNABOY
  • Ed Sheeran wins ‘Thinking Out Loud’ copyright case

    Ed Sheeran wins ‘Thinking Out Loud’ copyright case

    A US court has ruled that Ed Sheeran did not copy Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On when composing Thinking Out Loud.

    The British singer-songwriter had denied stealing elements of the song for his 2014 worldwide hit.

    Heirs of Gaye’s co-writer argued that Sheeran, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Publishing owed them money for copyright infringement.

    Sheeran reportedly told the trial in New York that if he was found guilty he would give up his music career.

    “If that happens, I’m done, I’m stopping,” he said when asked about the toll the trial at Manhattan federal court was taking on him.

    Sheeran reportedly stood up and hugged his team after jurors ruled that he “independently” created his song.

    Kathryn Townsend Griffin, daughter of composer Ed Townsend, gives a statement to reporters as she arrives for musician Ed Sheeran's copyright-infringement trial at Manhattan Federal Court on April 25, 2023
    Image caption,Kathryn Townsend Griffin, the daughter of composer Ed Townsend, accuses Sheeran of copyright infringement

    During the civil trial Sheeran sang and played parts of Thinking Out Loud on the guitar.

    He said he wrote the song at home in England with his friend Amy Wadge, and had been inspired by his grandparents and a new romantic relationship he had just begun.

    Sheeran’s lawyer, Ilene Farkas, told the jurors that similarities in the chord progressions and rhythms of the two songs were “the letters of the alphabet of music.”

    “These are basic musical building blocks that songwriters now and forever must be free to use, or all of us who love music will be poorer for it,” she said.Media caption,

    How similar are Ed Sheeran and Marvin Gaye’s songs?

    Keisha Rice, who represented the heirs of Gaye’s co-writer Ed Townsend said her clients were not claiming to own basic musical elements but rather “the way in which these common elements were uniquely combined.”

    “Mr Sheeran is counting on you to be very, very overwhelmed by his commercial success,” she said, urging jurors to use their “common sense” to decide whether the songs are similar.

    Last year Sheeran won a copyright battle at the High Court in London over his 2017 Shape of You.

    Sheeran is also facing claims over Thinking Out Loud from a company owned by investment banker David Pullman that holds copyright interests in the Gaye song.

    In 2015 Gaye’s heirs won a $5.3m judgment from a lawsuit claiming the Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams song Blurred Lines copied Gaye’s Got to Give It Up.

    Background

    In September 2022, Pop star Ed Sheeran was ordered to stand trial in the US over claims he copied his hit song Thinking Out Loud from Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On.

    A judge denied Sheeran’s bid to dismiss the case, saying a jury should decide on the similarities between the songs.

    The move comes six months after Sheeran was cleared of copying his hit song Shape Of You at a trial in London.

    After that ruling, the singer hit out at “baseless” copyright claims, which he said were “way too common”.

    The claim over Thinking Out Loud was originally lodged in 2018, not by Gaye’s family but by investment banker David Pullman and a company called Structured Asset Sales, which has acquired a portion of the estate of Let’s Get It On co-writer Ed Townsend.

    Seeking $100m (£90m) in damages, they allege that Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge “copied and exploited, without authorisation or credit” the Gaye song, “including but not limited to the melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bass line, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation and looping”.

    On Thursday, US District Judge Louis Stanton cited a disagreement between musical experts on both sides of the lawsuit as a reason for ordering the civil trial.Media caption,

    The prospect of a jury trial will be an unwelcome one for Sheeran. Copyright lawyers have often argued that juries have difficulty understanding the complexities of copyright law, and why superficial similarities between two songs are not necessarily proof of plagiarism.

    In his order, Judge Stanton also ruled that jurors must decide whether SAS can include concert revenue in damages, rejecting Sheeran’s argument that ticket sales weren’t tied to the alleged infringement.

    Sheeran’s 2014-2015 tour earned $150m (£135m), according to music industry trade publication Pollstar.

    His lawyers did not comment on the judge’s ruling. A lawyer for Structured Asset Sales, Hillel Parness, told Reuters the company was “pleased” with the ruling.

    This is not the only trial Sheeran is facing over Thinking Out Loud, which went to number one in the UK in 2014 and won song of the year at the Grammy Awards in 2016.

    SAS has filed a second case, which is currently on pause, while a separate suit by another portion of Townsend’s estate is awaiting trial.

  • Ed Sheeran tells court he’d ‘be an idiot’ to copy Marvin Gaye’s song

    Ed Sheeran tells court he’d ‘be an idiot’ to copy Marvin Gaye’s song

    British singer Ed Sheeran has appeared in a New York City court to deny that his song Thinking Out Loud copied Marvin Gaye’s song ‘Let’s Get It On’.

    Heirs of Gaye’s co-writer, Ed Townsend, argue that Sheeran, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Publishing owe them money for allegedly stealing the song.

    As the case opened, their lawyer called Sheeran’s use of lyrics from Gaye’s song at his concerts a “smoking gun”.

    But he said he’d “be quite an idiot” to do that if he had copied the song.

    Asked by lawyer Keisha Rice about another song he wrote, Take it Back, which contains the lyrics “plagiarism is hidden”, Sheeran confirmed that he had written the words.

    “Those are my lyrics, yep,” he said, adding: “Can I give some context to them?”

    She said that if she wanted any context she would ask for it, and went on to ask him about concert footage recorded in Zurich showing him mixing lyrics from Gaye’s 1973 song with Thinking Out Loud.

    Mr Townsend's daughter spoke outside court
    Townsend’s daughter spoke outside court (REUTERS)

    Earlier, another lawyer for the family – civil rights advocate Ben Crump – told the court that the concert video amounted to a “smoking gun” confession.

    Sheeran responded that he sometimes mixed together songs with similar chords at his performances, and appeared to grow frustrated when Ms Rice cut him off.

    “I feel like you don’t want me to answer because you know that what I’m going to say is actually going to make quite a lot of sense,” he said.

    “You could go from Let It Be to No Woman, No Cry and switch back,” Sheeran continued under oath, referring to the Beatles and Bob Marley classics.

    “If I had done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be a quite an idiot to stand on a stage in front of 20,000 people and do that.”

    In his opening statement, Mr Crump “recognised the magic” of Gaye’s song and “decided to capture a bit of that magic for his own benefit”.

    As the trial began on Tuesday, US District Judge Louis Stanton warned the seven-member jury that despite the fact that music will be played in court: “We don’t allow dancing.”

    The trial is expected to last at least one week. If the jury finds the pop star liable for copyright infringement, the trial will enter a second phase to determine how much he owes.

    The court case comes as the singer prepares to launch a North American stadium tour and release a new album.

    Earlier on Tuesday, Sheeran’s lawyer argued that both songs are distinct from each other and that no artist should be allowed to “monopolise” commonly used musical chord progressions.

    “No one owns basic musical building blocks,” said Ilene Farkas.

    “The two songs share versions of a similar and unprotectable [sic] chord progression that was freely available to all songwriters,” his lawyers said in an earlier court filing.

    Mr Townsend’s daughter testified before Sheeran, according to the New York Times.

    Kathryn Griffin-Townsend praised Sheeran as “a great artist with a great future”, the newspaper reported. She told jurors she brought the case reluctantly, and because “I have to protect my father’s legacy.”

    The latest trial comes one year after Sheeran was cleared at a trial in London of claims he copied his hit song Shape Of You.

    The claim over Thinking Out Loud was originally lodged in 2018, not by Gaye’s family but by investment banker David Pullman and a company called Structured Asset Sales (SAS), which has acquired a portion of the estate of Let’s Get It On co-writer Ed Townsend.

    Seeking $100m (£90m) in damages, they allege that Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge “copied and exploited, without authorisation or credit” the Gaye song, “including but not limited to the melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bass line, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation and looping”.

    Ms Wadge, and various expert musicologists, are expected to testify at the New York trial.

    This is not the only trial Sheeran is facing over Thinking Out Loud, which went to number one in the UK in 2014 and won Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 2016.

    SAS has filed a second case, which is currently on pause, while a separate suit by another portion of Townsend’s estate is awaiting trial.

  • Ed Sheeran ‘didn’t want to live’ after his friends Jamal Edwards and Shane Warne died

    Ed Sheeran ‘didn’t want to live’ after his friends Jamal Edwards and Shane Warne died

    Ed Sheeran says he “didn’t want to live any more” after the deaths of his friends SBTV founder Jamal Edwards and cricketer Shane Warne in 2022.

    Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, the star said he had dealt with depression “throughout my life” and felt the feelings resurface last year.

    “You’re under the waves drowning. You’re just sort of in this thing. And you can’t get out of it.”

    He worried his thoughts were “selfish”, given that he is a parent to two girls.

    “Especially as a father, I feel really embarrassed about it,” the 32-year-old said.

    Sheeran credited his wife, Cherry Seaborn, with encouraging him to seek help.

    “No one really talks about their feelings where I come from,” he said. “People think it’s weird getting a therapist in England.… I think it’s very helpful to be able to speak with someone and just vent and not feel guilty about venting.

    “Obviously, like, I’ve lived a very privileged life. So my friends would always look at me like, ‘Oh, it’s not that bad.’

    “The help isn’t a button that is pressed, where you’re automatically OK,” he continued. “It is something that will always be there and just has to be managed.”

    Jamal Edwards and Ed Sheeran in 2010
    Image caption, Jamal Edwards gave Ed Sheeran his first big break in 2010

    Edwards, who gave Sheeran his first big break, died suddenly from a heart attack in February 2022 after taking cocaine and drinking alcohol, a coroner concluded.

    Sheeran said the tragedy convinced him to kick a drug habit he had developed in his 20s.

    “I remember just being at a festival and being like, ‘Well, if all of my friends do it, it can’t be that bad,’” he said. “And 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.

    “I would never, ever, ever touch anything again, because that’s how Jamal died,” he added. “And that’s just disrespectful to his memory to even, like, go near.”

    Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn
    Image caption, Sheeran and Seaborn married in 2019

    Shortly after Edwards’ death, Sheeran’s wife was diagnosed with a tumour which could not be operated on until after she had given birth to their second daughter, Jupiter.

    “You feel so powerless,” Sheeran recalled. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

    Seaborn ultimately carried the baby to term and had successful surgery in June 2022, the morning that Sheeran headlined Wembley Stadium, Rolling Stone said.

    The emotional toll of those events can be seen in a trailer for Sheeran’s forthcoming Disney+ documentary, The Sum Of It All.

    In one scene, the star is pictured crying on stage, as he grapples with Edwards’ death and Seaborn’s health condition, while simultaneously facing a lengthy copyright trial.

    “I’ve never seen him cry on stage,” Seaborn observes in the clip. “He hasn’t had the time to process and be at peace with his thoughts.”Figure caption,

    Warning: Third party content may contain adverts

    Sheeran has previously revealed that his new album, Subtract, was completely re-written against the “backdrop of grief and hope” he experienced last year.

    Originally intended to be a collection of acoustic songs recorded over a 10-year period, he scrapped the project and started again, using songwriting to “make sense” of his feelings.

    He made the record with The National’s Aaron Dessner, who previously co-produced Taylor Swift’s lockdown albums Folklore and Evermore.

    Dessner told Rolling Stone he’d encouraged the star to show “a more vulnerable” and “elemental” side to his music.

    As he had done with Swift, the musician started sending Sheeran instrumental tracks to craft into finished songs.

    “I had these instrumentals, and I would write to them in the backs of cars or planes or whatever,” Sheeran said.

    “And then it got done. And that was the record. It was all very, very, very fast.”

    The star added that he recorded a second, entirely separate, album with Dessner which has no firm release date at present.

    He also revealed the existence of a collaborative album with reggaeton star J Balvin, as well as forthcoming music with Pharrell, Shakira, David Guetta and Justin Bieber.

    In fact, he told Rolling Stone he has five more albums in mind using another category of symbols.

    He plans to work on the last one in that series on and off for the rest of his life, “adding songs here and there. And just have it in my will that after I die, it comes out”.

  • Ed Sheeran reveals how he felt when his wife was diagnosed with tumour during pregnacy

    Ed Sheeran reveals how he felt when his wife was diagnosed with tumour during pregnacy

    Ed Sheeran has revealed his wife was diagnosed with a tumour while pregnant with their second child.

    The Shape Of You singer described how Cherry Seaborn, who he married in 2019, was told by doctors she had a tumour while she was expecting the couple’s second child, who was born in May 2022, “with no route to treatment until after the birth”.

    Sheeran went on to discuss the impact the diagnosis had on his wellbeing, describing how he “spiralled through fear, depression and anxiety” last year following the news, and that of the death of his close friend Jamal Edwards.

    Music entrepreneur Edwards, who was awarded an MBE for his services to music in 2014, died on February 20 last year at the age of 31.

    In a statement announcing his new album, called – , the mathematical symbol for Subtract, which is due to be released on May 5, Sheeran said the songs had been influenced by the difficult events he’d faced.

    “I had been working on Subtract for a decade, trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs with a clear vision of what I thought it should be,” he said.

    “Then at the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art.”

    The star said his wife, Cherry Seaborn's diagnosis has impacted the writing of his new album, pictured here at the Brit Awards.(Getty Images)
    The star said his wife Cherry Seaborn’s diagnosis has impacted the writing of his new album, pictured here at the Brit Awards. (Getty Images)

    The Bad Habits singer said to get through those experiences he used songwriting as his “therapy” and to help him “make sense” of his feelings.

    “I wrote without thought of what the songs would be, I just wrote whatever tumbled out,” he explained. “And in just over a week, I replaced a decade’s worth of work with my deepest darkest thoughts.

    “Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumour, with no route to treatment until after the birth,” Sheeran continued.

    “My best friend Jamal, a brother to me, died suddenly and I found myself standing in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter. I was spiralling through fear, depression and anxiety.”

  • Adele and Ed Sheeran decline invitation to perform at King Charles’ coronation

    Adele and Ed Sheeran decline invitation to perform at King Charles’ coronation

    Musicians Adele and Ed Sheeran declined to perform at King Charles’ coronation appeared first on Consequence.

    It’s not easy being King, and Adele and Ed Sheeran sure aren’t making it any easier: The two singers have reportedly declined King Charles III’s invitations to perform at an upcoming concert in celebration of his coronation.

    OK! reports that King Charles had specifically wanted the duo to perform at the concert, which is scheduled for May 7th, the day after he officially takes over for the late Queen Elizabeth III.

    Sheeran chalked his absence up to scheduling conflicts, noting that he has a concert in Texas the day before and it would be difficult to make it back to England in time.

    Adele, however, didn’t offer an explanation, and she doesn’t have any live performances scheduled after March 25th.

    “The King has suggested a number of people he would like to perform and Adele and Ed were on that list,” an organizer of the coronation event said.

    “He was very keen that they were part of the concert… There is a team set up to get the talent signed up so they approached the two of them, but got replies saying that they were unavailable, which was a massive disappointment. They are titans of the showbiz industry and are quintessentially British but also known across the globe. It’s such a shame.”

    The performers of the coronation concert have not yet been confirmed, but OK! adds that Lionel Richie and the Spice Girls are the frontrunners to take the stage, while there are also rumors of a Harry Styles appearance.

    If you — or King Charles — still need tickets to see Sheeran on his 2023 tour, head over to StubHub.

  • Ed Sheeran, Adele reportedly turn down invite to perform at King Charles’ Coronation

    Ed Sheeran, Adele reportedly turn down invite to perform at King Charles’ Coronation

    According to reports, both Adele and Ed Sheeran have turned down the chance to sing for King Charles III during his coronation.

    On May 7, the King will be installed at Westminster Abbey, and a subsequent ceremony will take place at Windsor Castle.

    The two worldwide superstars, though, are reportedly both “too busy” to perform for royalty.

    ‘The King has suggested a number of people he would like to perform and Adele and Ed were on that list,’ a source said.

    ‘He was very keen that they were part of the concert.’

    They added to Mail on Sunday: ‘There is a team set up to get the talent signed up so they approached the two of them, but got replies saying that they were unavailable, which was a massive disappointment.

    King Charles
    The King’s Coronation takes place on May 7 (Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

    ‘They are titans of the showbiz industry and are quintessentially British but also known across the globe.’

    ‘It’s such a shame,’ the insider claimed.

    Thinking Out Loud hitmaker Ed, 32, does in fact have commitments around the time of the Coronation.

    A representative for Ed also told Metro.co.uk that neither the star nor his team has even been ‘approached’ about a possible performance.

    Ed actually has a show in Texas the day before the Coronation gig, meaning it would be pretty hard (not to mention tiring) for him to make the trip back home.

    Ed Sheeran
    Ed has a show in the States the day before the Coronation gig (Picture: AAPIMAGE)
    Adele
    Adele is currently performing in Vegas, but her May diary is unknown (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AD)

    However, since Ed has used a private jet in the past, insiders claim it would be possible for him to do so again for the nine-hour journey.

    Meanwhile, it’s unknown what Adele, 34, will be doing around the time of the Coronation.

    Source: Metro.co.uk

  • Ed Sheeran talks ‘turbulent things happening’ in his personal life in social media return

    Ed Sheeran talks ‘turbulent things happening’ in his personal life in social media return

    Ed Sheeran is just thinking out loud! The 31-year-old British singer-songwriter took to his Instagram account this week to get candid with his fans in a new video. 

    “I realized I haven’t been that engaged in my social media and my fan base online for the past couple of years,” Sheeran admits in the clip, calling his recent posts “a bit boring.” 

    He goes on to offer an explanation for his online absence, saying, “Just being totally honest, I’ve had some turbulent things been happening in my personal life so I just didn’t really feel like being online and pretending to be something I’m not when I wasn’t feeling like that.” 

    Despite the surprising confession, Sheeran adds that “things are looking up” and notes, “I’m back online.”

    Sheeran doesn’t clarify exactly what “turbulent things” he’s referring to in regards to his personal life. He does flash his wedding band several times in the video. He tied the knot with his longtime love Cherry Seaborn in 2019. The couple are parents to 2-year-old daughter Lyra and 8-month-old daughter, Jupiter. 

    In November 2022, Sheeran shared that he planned to release his sixth album in 2023.  

  • Lewis Capaldi overtakes Ed Sheeran with the UK’s most-streamed song of all time

    Lewis Capaldi’s aching ballad Someone You Loved has become the UK’s most-streamed song of all time, overtaking Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You.

    The song has been played 562 million times, counting both audio and video streams, said the Chart Company.

    Capaldi celebrated the news by calling himself “the king of streaming”.

    “Listen…The Beatles, Drake, Metallica, The Eagles, Michael Jackson, don’t worry guys, no hard feelings, I just had to take this one,” he added.

    “Take a step back and let Daddy steer the ship now, OK?”

    On beating Sheeran’s record, the Scottish singer said: “Ed’s a man who is like a brother to me, he’s been a mentor, he’s put his arm round me and said, ‘Don’t worry everything’s going to be ok’.

    “He’s been nothing but kind and gracious and beautiful, a good friend in an ever-changing industry. So to Ed I say… nice guys finish last. You snooze you lose, kiddo. Keep up!”

    Lewis Capaldi in a crown
    Image caption,Capaldi wore an inflatable crown to celebrate his coronation as “the king of streaming”

    The Official Chart Company announced the news to mark its 70th anniversary.

    The first chart was compiled by music newspaper the New Musical Express on 14 November, 1952, with Al Martino’s Here In My Heart becoming the first ever number one.

    • Seven controversies from 70 years of the singles chart
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    The Top 12 was rather rudimentary, constructed from a survey of 20 record shops by the NME’s advertising manager Percy Dickins, who thought a chart would lure new advertisers to the publication.

    Over the next seven decades, the chart became more sophisticated, and now tracks every sale, stream and download that occurs in the UK.

    In figures released on Monday, the Official Charts said a total of 4.55 billion singles, 683 billion audio streams and 128 billion video streams have been consumed in the UK since the chart began.

    Queen frontman Freddie Mercury on stage
    Image caption,Queen’s Greatest Hits is a the UK’s best-selling album

    A total of 1,404 songs have reached number one in that period, from The Beatles’ She Loves You and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, to Madonna’s Into The Groove and the Spice Girls’ Wannabe.

    The current number one is Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero, which is expected to spend a fourth week in pole position when the latest chart is announced this Friday.

    Elton John’s Candle In The Wind is the UK’s biggest-selling single of all time, with 4.94 million copies sold.

    The UK's biggest-selling singles . Physical purchases and downloads only. .

    A further 178 singles have surpassed one million sales – and the latest to achieve the feat is Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off.

    She is the is the first act to reach the milestone in two years. The last was Goo Goo Dolls’ Iris, which hit one million sales in February 2020. The last solo artist to make the list was Frank Sinatra, with My Way, in 2018.

    The chart company noted that Shake It Off could be the country’s last million-seller, as downloads and physical sales are now negligible, even for the biggest hits.

    Streams now account for 98.6% of the singles market, with the number one single currently averaging 6.82 million streams per week.

    To date only three songs have topped 500 million streams – Someone You Loved, Shape Of You and Ed Sheeran’s Perfect.

    Seven tracks have achieved 400 million streams, including George Ezra’s Shotgun. The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights and The Killers’ Mr Brightside.

    The most streamed music video is Baby Shark by Pinkfong, which has amassed 220 million plays.

    Meanwhile, Queen’s Greatest Hits is the UK’s best-selling album of all time, surpassing 7 million copies.

    The UK's most-streamed singles . Audio and video streams combined. .

  • Hacker who stole Ed Sheeran’s unreleased music is jailed

    A hacker who stole two unreleased songs from Ed Sheeran and sold them on the dark web has been jailed for 18 months.

    Adrian Kwiatkowski traded the music by Sheeran and 12 songs by rapper Lil Uzi Vert in exchange for cryptocurrency.

    The 23-year-old, from Ipswich, managed to get hold of them after hacking the performers’ digital accounts, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

    Kwiatkowski admitted 19 charges, including copyright infringement and possessing criminal property.

    He had made £131,000 from the music, City of London Police said.

    Ipswich Crown Court heard that when the defendant’s Apple Mac laptop was searched, 565 audio files, including the songs by Sheeran and Vert, were uncovered.

    Spirdark alias

    An investigation was initially launched by US authorities in 2019.

    It came after the management of several musicians reported to the New York District Attorney that someone known online as Spirdark had hacked a number of accounts and was selling the content.

    The investigation linked the email address used to set up Spirdark’s cryptocurrency account to Kwiatkowski. His home address in the UK was also linked to an IP address used to hack one of the devices.

    The case was then referred to the City of London Police and Kwiatkowski was arrested in September 2019.

    According to police, seven devices, including a hard drive that contained 1,263 unreleased songs by 89 artists, were seized.

    A document saved on the hard drive summarised the method he had used to obtain them along with a stash of Bitcoin which was seized.

    Chief crown prosecutor Joanne Jakymec said Kwiatkowski had “complete disregard” for the musicians’ creativity, hard work and lost earnings.

    “He selfishly stole their music to make money for himself by selling it on the dark web,” she said.

    “We will be pursuing ill-gotten gains from these proceeds of crime.”

    In August, Kwiatkowski pleaded guilty at Ipswich Magistrates Court to three charges of unauthorised access to computer material, 14 charges of selling copyrighted material, one charge of converting criminal property and two charges of possession of criminal property.

    He also admitted to receiving bitcoin cryptocurrency for the songs.

    Detective Constable Daryl Fryatt said Kwiatkowski was highly skilled but it was unfortunate he used his talents unlawfully.

    “Not only did he cause several artists and their production companies significant financial harm, he deprived them of the ability to release their own work,” he added.

    Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr said the case showed “cybercrime knows no borders”.

    “This individual executed a complex scheme to steal unreleased music in order to line his own pockets,” he said.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Ed Sheeran was ‘hurt’ after his James Bond theme song was scrapped for Billie Eilish

    He still gets Shivers.

    Ed Sheeran revealed it “hurt” to see his James Bond theme song shelved for Billie Eilish’s hit track, “No Time To Die.”

    The “Shape of You” hitmaker said he’d “already started” writing the song when suddenly he was replaced by the 7-time Grammy-winning teen superstar.

    “They changed directors and then they just changed scripts and that was it. We had done all the meetings, I started writing it,” the 31-year-old said on “That Peter Crouch Podcast.”

    But Sheeran isn’t losing all hope just yet.

    When asked if he would still be willing to sing a Bond theme tune in the future, it was a clear-cut yes.

    “Yeah, of course,” he added. I’m not gonna pretend it didn’t hurt not doing it, but yeah I would.”

    “I think eventually as an English singer you’ve got to eventually do a Bond song,” the singer said. “If they came back I’d be like, ‘Yeah, of course.’”

    Ed Sheeran was ‘hurt’ after his James Bond theme song was scrapped for Billie Eilish
    Billie Eilish replaced Sheeran as the singer on the main theme song for “No Time to Die.”
    Getty Images for EON Productions

    Eilish’s official theme song for the blockbuster “No Time to Die” made her the youngest artist to ever write a song for the 007 franchise.

    The hit track won the 2022 Academy Award for “Best Original Song,” as well as a Grammy Award for “Best Song Written for Visual Media.”

    Eilish joins other superstars who’ve penned songs for the Daniel Craig-starring James Bond films, including Chris Cornell (“You Know My Name” for “Casino Royale”), Adele (“Skyfall”), Jack White and Alicia Keys (“Another Way to Die” for “Quantum of Solace”), and Sam Smith (“Writing’s on the Wall” for “Spectre”).

    Eilish wrote the song with her 22-year-old brother and musical collaborator Finneas O’Connell, with orchestral arrangements by renowned composer and Oscar winner Hans Zimmer and British conductor Matt Dunkley. The Smiths legend Johnny Marr plays guitar on the track.

    Source: pagesix.com

  • Ed Sheeran was ‘hurt’ after his James Bond theme song was scrapped for Billie Eilish

    Ed Sheeran revealed it “hurt” to see his James Bond theme song shelved for Billie Eilish’s hit track, “No Time To Die.”

    The “Shape of You” hitmaker said he’d “already started” writing the song when suddenly he was replaced by the 7-time Grammy-winning teen superstar.

    “They changed directors and then they just changed scripts and that was it. We had done all the meetings, I started writing it,” the 31-year-old said on “That Peter Crouch Podcast.”

    But Sheeran isn’t losing all hope just yet.

    When asked if he would still be willing to sing a Bond theme tune in the future, it was a clear-cut yes.

    “Yeah, of course,” he added. I’m not gonna pretend it didn’t hurt not doing it, but yeah I would.”

    “I think eventually as an English singer you’ve got to eventually do a Bond song,” the singer said. “If they came back I’d be like, ‘Yeah, of course.’”

    Ed Sheeran was ‘hurt’ after his James Bond theme song was scrapped for Billie Eilish
    Billie Eilish replaced Sheeran as the singer on the main theme song for “No Time to Die.”
    Getty Images for EON Productions

    Eilish’s official theme song for the blockbuster “No Time to Die” made her the youngest artist to ever write a song for the 007 franchise.

    The hit track won the 2022 Academy Award for “Best Original Song,” as well as a Grammy Award for “Best Song Written for Visual Media.”

    Eilish joins other superstars who’ve penned songs for the Daniel Craig-starring James Bond films, including Chris Cornell (“You Know My Name” for “Casino Royale”), Adele (“Skyfall”), Jack White and Alicia Keys (“Another Way to Die” for “Quantum of Solace”), and Sam Smith (“Writing’s on the Wall” for “Spectre”).

    Eilish wrote the song with her 22-year-old brother and musical collaborator Finneas O’Connell, with orchestral arrangements by renowned composer and Oscar winner Hans Zimmer and British conductor Matt Dunkley. The Smiths legend Johnny Marr plays guitar on the track.

    DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Ed Sheeran on almost landing a Bond song before Billie Eilish got the job

    Ed Sheeran has reflected on how it felt to be, in his words, “within a fucking gnat’s pube” of landing a James Bond song.

    In a new interview with Peter Crouch, as seen below, Sheeran brought up Bond following a discussion he and the host had about the second lives sometimes awarded to songs in the form of sports stadium singalongs.

    “It’s like a Bond song,” Sheeran said. “You’ve gotta eventually, as an English singer, want to do a Bond song.”

    Around the 41:35 mark in the video below, Sheeran was asked about the possibility of doing his own Bond song, prompting a reminder from Sheeran himself that this did indeed almost happen.

    “I was within a fucking gnat’s pube of doing one,” Sheeran, whose public comments surrounding his desire to one day do a Bond song date back to (at least) 2017, said. “They changed directors and then they just changed scripts and that was it. We’d done all the meetings, I started writing it.”

    Last year’s No Time to Die, as Bond fans already know, initially had Danny Boyle attached as a director. Boyle later left the project, however, with True Detective alum Cary Fukunaga stepping in as his replacement. Song honors, meanwhile, went to Billie Eilish, whose history-making “No Time to Die” later won an Academy Award.

    Asked in the new Crouch interview if securing the Bond slot remained something that was “on his radar” as a goal, Sheeran confirmed that it was.

    “Yeah, of course,” he said. “I’m not gonna pretend it didn’t hurt not doing it.”

    Source: Complex.com

  • How Akufo-Addo forced peers to watch Jay-Z, Beyonce perform at Global Citizen concert in 2018

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2018 caused his colleagues to sit through a Global Citizen Festival held in South Africa.

    The circumstances under which this happened was narrated by deputy Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts minister, Mark Okraku Mantey who was speaking on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana programe.

    The 2018 concert took place at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, and was part of the Global Citizen group’s annual concert held in New York Central Park and concurrently in another major African city.

    The particular edition was also connected to the Mandela 100 celebration, so it had a number of African leaders in attendance.

    “At the time, most of the presidents were tired and so they wanted to find a way asking them to leave, but the host who is the South African president couldn’t leave until they get the other people to accept that they also wanted to leave.

    “So, they were unlucky that they spoke to President Akufo-Addo first and in the diplomatic way that is how they operate. ‘O Mr. President, would you want to leave?’

    “He says no, ‘I am waiting for Jay-Z and Beyonce.’ They were the headliners. So, the rest of the presidents have to wait, they couldn’t leave, that is the history to president Akufo-Addo’s visit to that event.

    “After the event, he showed interest, that he wouldn’t mind seeing this in Ghana,” this was how the organizers slated it for Ghana this year.

    The September 24, 2022 concert has, however, become the center of controversy after it emerged that the president was booed by a section of the crowd. It has led to political ‘football’ with the governing and opposition parties in the middle of the fight.

    The edition Akufo-Addo attended was held on Dec. 2, 2018, with performances from the likes of Beyoncé, JAY-Z, Sho Madjozi, Cassper Nyovest, Ed Sheeran, and many other incredible acts.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • Ed Sheeran must face copyright trial over Thinking Out Loud, judge rules

    Pop star Ed Sheeran has been ordered to stand trial in the US over claims he copied his hit song Thinking Out Loud from Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On.

    A judge denied Sheeran’s bid to dismiss the case, saying a jury should decide on the similarities between the songs.

    The move comes six months after Sheeran was cleared of copying his hit song Shape Of You at a trial in London.

    After that ruling, the singer hit out at “baseless” copyright claims, which he said were “way too common”.

    The claim over Thinking Out Loud was originally lodged in 2018, not by Gaye’s family but by investment banker David Pullman and a company called Structured Asset Sales, which has acquired a portion of the estate of Let’s Get It On co-writer Ed Townsend.

    Seeking $100m (£90m) in damages, they allege that Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge “copied and exploited, without authorisation or credit” the Gaye song, “including but not limited to the melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bass line, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation and looping”.

    On Thursday, US District Judge Louis Stanton cited a disagreement between musical experts on both sides of the lawsuit as a reason for ordering the civil trial.

    The prospect of a jury trial will be an unwelcome one for Sheeran. Copyright lawyers have often argued that juries have difficulty understanding the complexities of copyright law, and why superficial similarities between two songs are not necessarily proof of plagiarism.

    In his order, Judge Stanton also ruled that jurors must decide whether SAS can include concert revenue in damages, rejecting Sheeran’s argument that ticket sales weren’t tied to the alleged infringement.

    Sheeran’s 2014-2015 tour earned $150m (£135m), according to music industry trade publication Pollstar.

    His lawyers did not comment on the judge’s ruling. A lawyer for Structured Asset Sales, Hillel Parness, told Reuters the company was “pleased” with the ruling.

    This is not the only trial Sheeran is facing over Thinking Out Loud, which went to number one in the UK in 2014 and won song of the year at the Grammy Awards in 2016.

    SAS has filed a second case, which is currently on pause, while a separate suit by another portion of Townsend’s estate is awaiting trial.

    ‘Coincidence is bound to happen’

    At the ‘Shape of You’ a trial in March, the singer and his co-writers John McDaid and Steven McCutcheon faced accusations that a hook on their track ripped off Oh Why, a 2015 song by Sami Chokri and Ross O’Donoghue.

    However, a High Court judge concluded they had “neither deliberately nor subconsciously” plagiarised the earlier song, and awarded the star and his co-defendants £900,000 in costs.

    Afterwards, Sheeran declared on Instagram: “I hope that this ruling means in the future baseless claims like this can be avoided. This really does have to end.”

    He added: “It’s really damaging to the songwriting industry. There’s only so many notes and very few chords used in pop music. Coincidence is bound to happen if 60,000 songs are being released every day on Spotify. That’s 22 million songs a year, and there’s only 12 notes that are available.”

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Ed Sheeran Covers Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Neil Diamond at Impromptu Ibiza Club Gig

    If you happen to be chilling at the House in Paradise beach club in Ibiza on Monday night (Sept. 26) you got an even wilder night/morning than you planned for. That’s because Ed Sheeran hopped up on stage unannounced to play a short, four-song set for the partygoers that mixed one of his most beloved hits with a trio of drunken last-call sing-alongs that perfectly fit the mood.

    In footage of the impromptu gig posted by the club, patrons are just minding their own business as a DJ spins some tunes on a beautiful sunny day when one of the owners hops on stage and announces, “we’ve got a very, very special guest in the house… because we have got not one of, we’ve got the biggest pop star in the world. You know who it is… ladies and gentleman Mr. Ed Sheeran!”

    Dressed casually in green cargo shorts and a white t-shirt, Sheeran, hoisting a wine glass, tells the excited crowd that he’s going to sing one of his and “then we’re going to have a sing-song.” Sheeran then busted into his 2017 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Shape of You” accompanied by a backing track and saxophone, with the packed crowd shouting along.

    “I love karaoke. I’m gonna sing karaoke now and you’re gonna sing along with me,” a relaxed Sheeran shouted before busting into an a cappella intro to the Backstreet Boys’ iconic “I Want It That Way” and then jumping into the middle of the crowd to sing among the sea of upheld phones capturing the singular moment.

    Looking like he was having the best time, Ed made his way back to the stage and checked the lyrics on his phone before busting into Neil Diamond’s perennial sloppy sing-along “Sweet Caroline,” accompanied by an electric violin, guitar and sax, his white shirt and shorts splashed with the remnants of someone’s drink. Loving the crowd interaction, Sheeran led the crowd in the “touching hands, reaching out” chant before hopping into the maw again and bouncing in front of the stage as he sang the chorus.

    The mini-concert sloshed to a close with the house DJ cueing up Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time,” during which the house sang appropriately off-key harmonies to Sheeran’s lead vocals. The set ended with Sheeran thrusting a giant Pokemon plushie into the air, which was fitting since the singer will drop his new Pokémon-themed single “Celestial” on Thursday (Sept. 29) accompanied by a music video illustrated by the video game’s animators.

    Sheeran also debuted a new tattoo last week on his Instagram in honor of the collaboration, revealing that he now has an image of the fan-favorite Pokémon character Squirtle below his right elbow.
    If you happen to be chilling at the House in Paradise beach club in Ibiza on Monday night (Sept. 26) you got an even wilder night/morning than you planned for. That’s because Ed Sheeran hopped up on s

  • We’re learning more about Afrobeats amid push of category in Grammys – Grammy Awards CEO

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Recording Academy, organisers of the Grammy Awards, has said there is a possibility the event will in the near future have a category for Afrobeats.

    Speaking to the media on his arrival in Ghana, Harvey Mason Jr, noted that the Recording Academy recently had a meeting with leaders of the Afrobeats community including producers, songwriters, executives and others to learn more about the genre – and will continue to do so.

    “We just talked about what are the different sub-genres (of Afrobeasts), the needs, the desires, and my goal is to represent all genres of music including Afrobeats at the Grammys but it has to be done properly,” Mr Mason said.

    He explained that as the CEO of the Recording Academy, he cannot solely decide whether to create a category for a genre or not – members of the academy must submit a proposal.

    “So, the process has started,” Mr Mason stated, adding that the Academy will continue to have fruitful conversations with the Afrobeats creators among others during the process.

     

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    Meanwhile, the Recording Academy CEO is expected to meet players in the Ghana music industry to discuss the country’s growth in music and others.

    He noted that he is hoping to learn more about Ghana music’s ecosystem, royalty system, and monetisation, among others.

    Afrobeats in the past few years has become a global phenomenon with many music lovers and creators worldwide exploring the world of African music.

    With the growth of the genre on a constant rise, the British Official Charts Company published on its site the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart in 2020 following the rising popularity of Afrobeats music and artists in the United Kingdom.

    In March 2022, the renowned music charts company Billboard also published their Afrobeats Songs Chart.

    Among others, Afrobeats acts like Burna Boy and Wizkid have had a number of nominations in the Grammy Awards (Best Global Music Album) with their studio albums.

    Artistes like Chris Brown, Justin Beiber, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez and many others have all worked with a number of Afrobeats stars.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Burna Boy talks origin of his stage name, music journey on Jimmy Fallon’s show

    Burna Boy in the past week was hosted on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

    The Nigerian Afrobeats star spoke openly about his musical path and his collaborations with artists for his new album, “Love Damini,” including Ed Sheeran.

    He also discussed how he came up with the stage moniker Burna Boy.

    The musician mentioned that he formerly drew comic book figures like Spiderman and others.

    But unlike other young people, he wanted to be his own superhero, so he created a superhero that represented him. Burna Boy was the only name he could come up with for the superhero.

    Burna Boy Later performed his hit song off ‘Love, Damini’ album ‘Last Last’.

    Watch the interview below:

  • Ed Sheeran crowned UK’s most-played artist of 2021 – and also wins accolade for most-played single

    Ed Sheeran was the most-played artist of 2021 in the UK, and also claimed the year’s most played single with Bad Habits.

    It is the second time he has claimed both accolades, previously achieving the double in 2017 with the release of his album Divide and hit single Shape Of You.

    Adele is the only other artist to have topped both charts in the same year, with Rolling In The Deep and the popularity of her album 21 in 2011.

    It is the fourth time in five years that the 31-year-old pop superstar has been the UK’s most-played artist, having been temporarily dethroned in 2020 by Dua Lipa.

    The annual charts are compiled by music licensing company Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) from music usage and airplay data from radio stations and television channels as well as public performance locations.

    The most played tracks of 2021

    1. Bad Habits Ed Sheeran

    2. By Your Side Calvin Harris featuring Tom Grennan

    3. Little Bit Of Love Tom Grennan

    4. Blinding Lights The Weeknd

    5. Higher Power Coldplay

    6. All You Ever Wanted Rag’n’Bone Man

    7. Heartbreak Anthem Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix

    8. Starstruck Years & Years

    9. Midnight Sky Miley Cyrus

    10. Bed Joel Corry, Raye and David Guetta

    Tom Grennan crowned a breakout year by claiming both the second and third most-played tracks of 2021, with By Your Side with Calvin Harris and Little Bit Of Love, respectively.

    The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights was the fourth most-played track, demonstrating staying power having originally been released in November 2019.

    The fifth most-played track of 2021 was Higher Power by Coldplay.

    The second most-played artist of the year was David Guetta, with Dua Lipa in third.

    Little Mix, who recently went on hiatus, claimed fourth place after consistently appearing in the top 10 for the past five years.

    Coldplay were the fifth most-played act.

    The most played artists of 2021

    1. Ed Sheeran

    2. David Guetta

    3. Dua Lipa

    4. Little Mix

    5. Coldplay

    6. The Weeknd

    7. Justin Bieber

    8. Calvin Harris

    9. Taylor Swift

    10. Pink

    Peter Leathem, chief executive of PPL, said: “Congratulations to Ed Sheeran for having the UK’s most-played track of 2021 and being the UK’s most-played artist of 2021.

    “His chart-topping success over the last five years is a testament to not only the quality of his output but also the strength of UK music at a time when the global music landscape is more competitive than ever.”

    Source : news.sky.com

  • Ed Sheeran: ‘I’d binge eat until I was sick’

    Ed Sheeran has revealed how his “very addictive personality” led him to binge on food and alcohol during the early days of his success.

    Speaking at an online summit on anxiety and wellbeing, the star said he had suffered panic attacks and hated the way he looked after becoming famous.

    He hit a particularly rough patch during his 2014-15 world tour.

    “I felt, ‘What was the point?’ In a dark way, like, ‘Why am I around? What is the point?’” he said.

    The star said credited his wife, Cherry, and a more healthy lifestyle for helping him turn his life around.

    “She exercises a lot, so I started going on runs with her. She eats quite healthily so I started eating quite healthily. She doesn’t drink that much so I wasn’t drinking,” he said. “I think that all changed things.”

    In a wide-ranging interview with documentary maker James Sebastiano, Jr, Sheeran also explained his current hiatus from music, and why he has taken up painting.

    How touring affected his health

    Sheeran said the 180-date world tour to promote his 2014 album X, was his lowest point.

    “I would stay up and drink all night and then sleep on the bus,” he said. “The buses would park underneath the arenas and I’d sleep on the bus all day and then wake up and then come out, do the show, drink, get back on the bus and I didn’t see sunlight for maybe four months.

    “It’s all fun and games at the start. it’s all rock and roll, and then like it starts getting sad. That was probably like the lowest that I’ve been and I kind of ballooned in weight.”

    On his addictive personality “I’m covered in in tattoos and I don’t do things by half,” the star admitted, “so if I’m gonna drink… I see no point in having a glass of wine. I’d rather have two bottles”.

    “Having a glass of wine is having something in moderation and probably isn’t going to affect your day the next day. But two bottles of wine probably might make you quite sad.”

    But alcohol wasn’t the only problem.

    “They used to call me two-dinner Teddy because I used to order two meals and eat that,” he said. “Then you start putting on loads of weight and hating the way you look.

    “I think things like sugar, sweet stuff, junk food, cocaine, alcohol, it feels good the more you do, but it’s the worst thing for you.”

    How Elton John delivered a few home truths Sheeran was signed to Elton John’s management company at the start of his career – and he said that reading his mentor’s autobiography had prompted a few realisations about his own lifestyle.

    “There are so many things that he did that I do,” the star explained.

    “He would be like, ‘I would just go on an ice cream binge and eat four desserts until I threw up’, and I was like, ‘I’ve done that before’.

    “Or his martini binges, where he sees how many martinis he can drink. And I’m like, ‘I’ve done that before too’.

    “With addiction, its very hard to moderate but moderation is the key.”

    Taking a break from music Sheeran had a number one album last year, with his No. 6 Collaborations Project, but he indicated he’d be stepping back from music for the rest of 2020.

    “You can sense when the public are like, ‘We’ve had enough now,’” he said of the album’s reception. “One of the important things in the industry is to know when not only to give yourself a break, but to give the public a break.”

    In the meantime, he’s taken up art.

    “I was like, ‘I should probably try and find something else to give me happiness,’” he explained. “There’s only so many movies you can watch and packets of Monster Munch you can eat.

    “So I basically bought 30 canvases and I painted a canvas a day for 30 days and it was really fun.”

    He said his creations were in the style of abstract impressionist Jackson Pollock – “I just bought house paint and then I would just layer it up by flicking it” – but the public would never get to see them.

    “I don’t sell my art. I just love doing it. No one else needs to judge.”

    On the perils of fame – and how people ‘stole’ his money One of the star’s more surprising admissions was that he felt very little sense of achievement after his record-breaking run of shows at Wembley Stadium in 2015.

    “It sounds weird saying it but you don’t really feel anything,” he said. “You’d think it would be like, ‘A-ha! This is it. I’ve made it. Oh my God!’ [but] you finish it and you’re like… ‘Well, what do I do now?’”

    The star says he cherished the early days of his career, playing open mic nights and sleeping on friends’ sofas, more than the big-scale stadium shows and festivals he’s become accustomed to.

    “I started at the bottom and I loved every part of it,” he said. “I learned more playing in a room to one person in Exeter when no-one came to my gig in 2009 that I did playing Wembley Stadium for four nights. It’s a weird one.”

    He added that fame had come at a cost.

    “When you have success and you find money… you get people getting weird with you. I had family members turn weird and friends fall out with me and people stealing. It’s not the key to happiness.

    “Fame is an enhancer [of] everyone else’s insecurities,” he added wearily. “The number of people I don’t speak to anymore just because it just turned weird.”

    His success has also triggered panic attacks, he said, often when he’s surrounded by large groups of people.

    “I would get it on the tube and planes, supermarkets… It’s a weird paranoia in me of assuming that everyone’s going to be horrible, when usually people are nice.”

    Why he no longer needs social media

    Despite taking a sabbatical from releasing music, Sheeran says he’s working on new music – treating his studio sessions as a “nine to five” job, in an effort to maintain a healthy work-life balance and spend more time with his wife.

    He’s also quit social media, as he did in 2016 while working on the follow-up to the multi-million selling X album.

    “I was on my phone probably 19 hours of the day in 2015 and before that, just constantly just flicking, posting, flicking and posting. And it wasn’t till the tour ended in 2015 where I was like, ‘Oh I’m just gonna try and live without my phone for a bit’.

    “I had 1,500 contacts on my phone and people were texting the whole time and it just felt a lot of responsibility to either reply or meet up with them.

    “For the first month I felt like a massive weight had been lifted.”

    After returning to social media to promote his third album, Divide, he found himself falling back into bad habits, so he announced he’d be “taking a breather” again on Christmas Eve 2019.

    He now says he’s “of an age where I’m beyond” needing to be on social media.

    “I don’t think I’m going to get the youth [audience] back – because I’m getting into my 30s,” he explained. “It’s not like 16-year-old people are going to relate to me next time I release an album. So it’s not like I need to be on it any more. I can just have someone post it [for me].”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Stormzy stopped Jay-Z rapping on an Ed Sheeran song

    Stormzy has revealed how he prevented Jay-Z from appearing on his song with Ed Sheeran, Take Me Back to London.

    The US rapper wanted to appear on the track, but the grime star turned down his “number one hero inspiration” because he thought it was a bad fit.

    “I felt proper bad because I was like, ‘You’re saying no to Jay-Z!’” he told ITV’s Jonathan Ross show.

    “Jay-Z was super proud and super shocked and taken aback by the fact that this kid told him,” he added.

    The song, which appears on Sheeran’s No. 6 Collaborations Project, went on to top the UK singles chart for five weeks in September and October.

    Read:Ed Sheeran named richest UK celebrity aged 30 or under

    It finds the two Glastonbury headliners reminiscing about their London days, “hitting raves” and ordering “packets of crisps with my pint”.

    Jay-Z was in the studio as the track came together, Stormzy told Jonathan Ross in an interview that’s scheduled to air on Saturday [30 November].

    “Before that I loved Take Me Back To London because I thought it was just going to be me and Ed,” he said, “and then Ed was like, ‘Jay is getting on it.’

    “It blew my mind. Jay-Z is my number one hero inspiration.

    Read:Ed Sheeran designs Blue Peter badge for BBC Music Day

    “We got into the studio and we were writing for this song and then he just stops the music and he said, ‘Tell me about London, I need some inspiration.’”

    Stormzy said he and his manager had a “powerful, beautiful” conversation, “talking about everything from black culture, community [to] music, his journey, my journey…

    “It was the greatest conversation of my life.”

    ‘He couldn’t believe it’ Stormzy continued: “At the end he’s smiling, we were probably talking for an hour and he goes, ‘So what do you think of the song?’

    “I was like, ‘I love this song but you being on the song changes everything’.

    Read:Beyonce pays glowing tribute to hubby Jay-Z

    He went on: “‘If you didn’t ask me this, I would have just written my verse and we would have done it and I would have never questioned it, but now that you’ve asked me, no.’

    “I was like, ‘I know how it goes, Mr Z. You are the most brilliant, busy man and I will probably never get this opportunity ever again but hand on my heart, I don’t think this is the right song for us. I don’t know why I’m saying this to you but this is not the song.’”

    Describing Jay-Z’s astonished response, Stormzy said: “He fully understood [but] he couldn’t believe that I did it.”

    But the session wasn’t a complete bust: Footage of Jay-Z and Stormzy’s conversation was used in the introductory video for Stormzy’s historic Glastonbury performance this summer.

    The rapper recently announced his second album, Heavy Is The Head, will be released on 13 December. He has also revealed plans for an extensive, 55-date world tour in 2020, with shows scheduled in the UK, US, Canada, China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria and Ghana.

    Source: bbc.com