Some know him as "the ginger Jesus" or "that one singer with orange hair," but most know him as Ed Sheeran. This talented lad is a singer/songwriter from the UK and has managed to work his way up in the music industry.
Just to give you some facts about him, he was homeless before fame struck him. Ed wrote songs throughout high school and while he didn't have a home. In some songs, he talks about being homeless while making/performing music. For example, in his song "You Need Me, I Don't Need You," he says "I've done around about a thousand shows but, I haven't got a house plus I live on the couch." Also, at age 18, he wrote a song called "Little Things," which is now sung by One Direction on their new album "Take Me Home." It was a big hit worldwide and was played on the radio every hour. Some other songs he's written for One Direction are "Over Again" (also off of "Take Me Home") and "Moments," which is off of their debute album "Up All Night." Ed has recently collaborated with Taylor Swift on her song "Everything Has Changed" which you can find on her newest album "Red." I'd say Ed's biggest accomplishment so far is having a sold out tour in the United States, considering the U.S. tends to make artists known worldwide.
I've been listening to Ed's music now for about a year and have completely fallen in love with him and his style. Though his lyrics are what catches the attention of most girls, I became interested in his music a little differently. When coming across videos of his live performances on Youtube, I noticed he recorded himself during performances for backup vocals and other track parts you'd already have pre-recorded. I did some research and finally found what Ed used, and still uses for performances to this day. The recording technique is called a loop pedal. Just like loops you use in audio software to make music, it repeats whatever you record while pressing the pedal down. I had honestly never seen anyone use one before and was immediately impressed.
Ed plays his guitar and sings during all of his gigs. He uses the loop pedal, and mic connected to it, for his guitar, beat boxing, background vocals, and much more. It really just amazes me how he's able to concentrate on singing while playing the guitar and recording parts for the song all at one time. Talk about multitasking. Below is a live performance of Ed singing "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" and using the loop pedal.
Besides his mad skills with the pedal, his voice is pure and as some people describe, angelic. Yeah I definitely agree. Last September, I saw Ed in concert (I waited 8 hours and got front row BLESS) and even got to meet him. Just as I thought he'd be, he was quiet but sweet and respectful. Out of all the celebrities I've met, Ed is one of the most sincere and nicest. Sure enough, during the concert, he used the loop pedal and his famous orange microphone that goes along with it. Even though his set isn't anything eye catching, which the public seems to need now a days, I'd say he's one of the best performers in the music industry today. His vocals are almost identical to his studio work and he can really get the crowd going. If you're interested in folk music with some pop incorporated into it, definitely have a listen to some of Ed's work. Just a fair warning, you might fall in love with him.
