10 Fun Facts About Ed Sheeran That You Can Use as Talking Points at Parties

By Caitlin Gallagher
Getty | Christopher Polk
Getty | Christopher Polk

Ed Sheeran is having a major moment right now, and we really can't think of anyone who deserves it more. After his new album, Divide, was released in early March, the singer has been all over the map. In addition to delivering one killer performance after the next, he's also opened up about his romance with girlfriend Cherry Seaborn, touched on his friendship with Taylor Swift, and inspired some pretty unbelievable dance videos. But do you ever say to yourself, "I would really love to know more about him"? Us too. Keep reading for 10 fun facts you might not have known about the "Supermarket Flowers" singer.

  1. In 2009, he played in more than 300 live shows and gigs while trying to get noticed. When Ed was just 18, he played a show almost every single day of the year in order to try to build his career from the ground up. "I gigged pretty much every day," he told the Daily Mail in 2012 about his dedication. "My dad cut this article out about James Morrison. He said, 'Look, this dude did 200 gigs in a year. He got the experience and then he got signed.' My dad's attitude is to take someone you admire and not so much copy them as take their work ethic and do it twice as much."
  2. He names all of his guitars. The singer revealed that he names his guitars after people in his working crew. Past guitars have been named Chris, Trev, James I, and James II.
  3. He sees his songs in color. Being the true artist that he is, Ed's songs aren't just lyrics to him. "All my songs have colors," he's said. "'You Need Me I Don't Need You' for example is aubergine. It's a sad song about struggling."
  4. He gave Harry Styles a tattoo. Ed actually tattooed a padlock on the One Direction singer's wrist. Harry later revealed that he's come to regret the ink, saying, "I regret this one on my wrist here [pointing to the padlock]. I mean, these are just crap. There are some that my friends have done and some that are just awful."
  5. Ed estimates that he has between 60 and 100 tattoos himself. His collection of ink includes three boxing gloves, a shamrock filled in with the Irish flag, a giant family tree, a teacup, the Heinz Tomato Ketchup logo, a Canadian maple leaf, and "Red" after Taylor Swift's album.
  6. He also has one in honor of his favorite TV show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Ed has the word "Prince" tattooed in green letters on his bicep. When asked about the meaning behind it, Ed said, "I played in Philadelphia and I was on tour with my friends, the Rizzle Kicks, who were my opening act. And I got 'Prince,' Jordan got 'Fresh' on his leg, and Harley got on his arm 'on the playground where I spent most of my days.'"
  7. He's relatable when it comes to food. During a 2012 radio interview, Ed got hilariously honest about his outlook on having a chiseled body, saying, "I have never had a six-pack and will never have a six-pack, so I might as well stuff my face." Same, Ed. Same.
  8. Taylor Swift actually contacted him first. We've all come to know and love Ed and Taylor's close friendship, and it turns out that the "Style" singer was the one to make the first move. After one of her managers saw him performing at a show in Nashville back in the day, Taylor contacted him because she instantly fell in love with his music. "['Lego House'] just cut through everything else," Taylor told Rolling Stone.
  9. He has a refreshing outlook on fame. Ed, who has given fans glimpses of his normal and happy childhood through his music videos, still seems to be that same down-to-earth kid from the English countryside. "I've always said that I wanna be known as the nicest and hardest working guy in the industry, so if I could be known as that that would be brilliant," he said in 2012.
  10. He can speak German and Greek. Not a lot, but it's still something!