Who is Ed Sheeran?
Edward Christopher Sheeran MBE, born on February 17, 1991, is an accomplished English singer-songwriter. He hails from Halifax, West Yorkshire, and was raised in Framlingham, Suffolk. Sheeran's journey into music began at the age of eleven when he started composing songs. His first significant milestone came in early 2011 when he independently released the extended play titled "No. 5 Collaborations Project." Later that same year, he inked a deal with Asylum Records.
Sheeran's debut album, "+," was unleashed in September 2011 and quickly claimed the top spot on the UK Albums Chart. This album marked the arrival of his first major hit single, "The A Team." In 2012, Sheeran earned recognition by winning the Brit Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act.
The release of Sheeran's second studio album, "×" (pronounced "Multiply"), in June 2014, marked another significant chapter in his career. It achieved chart-topping success worldwide and was the second-best-selling album globally in 2015. The same year, "×" clinched the Album of the Year award at the 2015 Brit Awards, and Sheeran was honored with the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. The album's single "Thinking Out Loud" secured him the 2016 Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
Sheeran's third album, "÷" (pronounced "Divide"), was released in March 2017 and emerged as the best-selling album worldwide in 2017. Its first two singles, "Shape of You" and "Castle on the Hill," made waves by debuting in the top two positions on charts in numerous countries. Sheeran also achieved the distinction of being the first artist to debut two songs in the top 10 of the US charts in the same week. By March 2017, he had notched up an impressive ten top-10 singles from "÷" on the UK Singles Chart, setting a record for the most top-10 UK singles from a single album. "Perfect," the fourth single from "÷," reached number one in the US, Australia, and the UK, where it became the Christmas number one in 2017. His unrivaled success in 2017 led to him being named the Global Recording Artist of the Year.
In 2019, Sheeran released his fourth album, "No.6 Collaborations Project," which debuted at number one in most major markets and spawned three UK number one singles: "I Don't Care," "Beautiful People," and "Take Me Back to London." His fifth studio album, "=", topped the charts in most major markets in 2021. Following that, his sixth album, "-", was released on May 5, 2023, and his seventh album, "Autumn Variations," was released on September 29, 2023, under his own record label, Gingerbread Man Records.
Sheeran's astounding musical career includes selling over 150 million records worldwide, firmly establishing him as one of the world's best-selling music artists. He boasts 101 million RIAA-certified units in the US, and two of his albums are listed among the best-selling albums in UK chart history. In December 2019, the Official Charts Company honored him as the artist of the decade, recognizing his unparalleled success in the UK album and singles charts throughout the 2010s. As of April 2022, Sheeran holds the distinction of being the most followed artist on Spotify.
In a testament to his live performance prowess, Sheeran's ÷ Tour, which began in March 2017, became the highest-grossing tour of all time by August 2019. Beyond music, Sheeran's versatile talents extend to the realm of acting, with appearances in the 2019 film "Yesterday," in which he portrayed himself.
"You don’t buy art for investment"
The wisdom of his father seems to resonate strongly with pop star Ed Sheeran. In one of the episodes of BBC Radio 4's enduring program, Desert Island Discs, the 26-year-old musician made an appearance and listed the eight songs he would choose if stranded on a deserted island. During the show, Sheeran also discussed his deep affection for visual art, a passion instilled in him at a young age by his father, who happens to be an art historian and curator.
As he shared his artistic inclinations with host Kirsty Young, Sheeran appeared to wholeheartedly embrace his father's guidance: "He has always emphasized that art is meant for enjoyment. You don't acquire art as an investment. I purchased a work by an artist named Harland Miller, known for placing provocative slogans on Penguin books. I have one with arguably the most provocative word prominently displayed in my home. It's something that truly excites me, and I genuinely appreciate it.
The interview program has been airing since 1942, featuring prominent figures in the world of culture who share the eight songs they consider essential in their lives. Throughout the years, a multitude of artists have graced the show's studio, including Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin, David Hockney, and Dame Zaha Hadid, all of whom disclosed their musical preferences. In 2013, Hirst's selections notably included Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" and, as expected, The Stone Roses' "I Am The Resurrection."
Ed Sheeran by Colin Davidson
Colin Davidson has always had mixed feelings about the realm of celebrities. The Belfast-based artist has never been particularly drawn to it.
Nevertheless, some of his most renowned works feature individuals who are among the planet's most recognizable figures. This distinguished list includes Brad Pitt, Liam Neeson, and Ed Sheeran, whose portrait currently graces the walls of the National Portrait Gallery as a prominent inclusion in its high-profile exhibition, "Shakespeare to Winehouse."
Although the artist has gained recognition for these creations, Davidson didn't actively pursue the opportunity to portray famous individuals, or for that matter, many of his subjects in general.
During a streamed discussion with the National Portrait Gallery, the artist revealed that he hadn't set out to create portraits of celebrities. Almost all of these encounters occurred serendipitously.
For instance, in the case of Ed Sheeran, the connection was established when the singer's father and grandmother visited an exhibition featuring Davidson's work, which included a portrait of Belfast Olympian Lady Mary Peters. It turned out that Sheeran's grandmother had a childhood friendship with the athlete, leading to the unexpected collaboration.
Subsequently, discussions commenced regarding the possibility of Davidson creating a portrait of the singer, and these discussions continued at Sheeran's Belfast concert, which coincidentally was taking place on the same evening. Davidson recalls, "Ed loved the work, felt a strong connection to it, and expressed his desire for me to paint him. That's how it all came together." He continues, "So, I spent two to three hours with Ed. We engaged in conversation. I intentionally avoid having the subject present their best side or look in a specific direction. I want to observe the nuances of their face, whether they are joyful, discussing somber topics, reflecting on matters, or simply in a moment of quiet."
Davidson's artistic approach revolves around capturing individuals in their unguarded moments. When it comes to his celebrity subjects, it's also about unearthing the humanity that lies beneath their fame.
For instance, when he painted Brad Pitt for the first time, the session took place in a hotel room shortly after the actor had disembarked from a transatlantic flight. Pitt was experiencing jet lag, and that was precisely the moment that Davidson chose to capture him.
However, this portrayal of the actor drew comments from some who felt it didn't resemble Brad Pitt much. To this, Davidson responds, "When was the last time you saw Brad Pitt right after a transatlantic flight? I'm not interested in celebrities at all. I never have been. In fact, a part of me finds it rather disdainful. Celebrity is inauthentic," Davidson remarks.
He further explains, "Moreover, in the case of the people I paint, celebrity is not something they choose for themselves. It's imposed upon them due to their careers, professions, or by external forces labeling them as celebrities... That's what makes painting individuals labeled as celebrities intriguing because you have a veneer to peel away."
Davidson gives the example of his portrait of Liam Neeson, saying, "During the sitting, we were discussing art, and at one point, he mentioned that he didn't have an interest in art until his wife, Natasha Richardson, introduced him to it. This conversation took place shortly after the tragic passing of his wife in 2009."
He became deeply moved while discussing how his wife introduced him to art, and that love and passion for it still endures today. That's the essence of the portrait I created. It's arguably one of the most somber paintings I've ever produced. In a way, it depicts a grieving human being, and the fact that it's Liam Neeson is secondary," Davidson reflects.
Despite having painted well-known figures, Davidson didn't initially consider himself a portrait artist in his career. Instead, he focused on creating cityscapes, particularly of his hometown, Belfast, and depictions of shop windows that showcased both the scenes beyond the glass and their reflections. Interestingly, the techniques he developed while working on these pieces would later prove invaluable in his portraiture, starting with his 2006 portrait of Belfast performer Duke Special.
"If you look at the eyes in this portrait, they are directly influenced by the way I treated the glass. So, I painted these eyes using the same approach I used for those oil paintings of shop fronts," Davidson explains.
"The hair, the dreadlocks, the flesh—all of it is treated much like I would treat architectural elements. Even the scribbly lines in the hair are very much in line with how I approached the Belfast paintings.
Ed Sheeran: Made in Suffolk
Located inside Ipswich's Christchurch Mansion, a majestic Tudor estate typically housing centuries-old masterpieces by John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough, the 2019-2020 exhibition titled "Ed Sheeran: Made in Suffolk" offered a warm welcome to Sheeran. He had spent the last two years embarking on an epic world tour, culminating in four performances at Ipswich's Chantry Park. Although he's not precisely from Ipswich, he's quite close. Sheeran grew up about 40 minutes away in Framlingham, having moved from Hebden Bridge during his childhood. As he fondly recalls in the accompanying exhibition book, "Ipswich is the place where [he] played some of [his] first gigs before [he] got signed."
Ed Sheeran truly entered our mainstream consciousness when he made his breakthrough with "The A Team" in 2011. Typically, musical artists spend at least a couple of decades in the industry before entire exhibitions are dedicated to their careers. Sheeran's musical journey can be traced back to 2005 when he released "Spinning Man" at the age of 13. Over the next five years, he released nine more EPs, accumulating a total of 30,000 sales.
"One of the exhibition curators, Emma Roodhouse, recounted, 'Everyone here went to school with Ed or has connections to him in some way.' As we examine his eighth-grade music report card, she adds, 'Ed is a natural talent,' interpreting it as 'brilliant,' a sentiment written by his vocal tutor. Adjacent to it was the award 'Most Likely to Become Famous,' which he received at the eleventh-grade prom. Shifting slightly to the left, you could scrutinize some of his early merchandise – so early, in fact, that the URL of his MySpace page is printed on the back of the T-shirts, offering a glimpse into Sheeran artifacts from around 2007."
Emma Roodhouse wasn't the only curator of "Made In Suffolk." The presence of bronze sculptures and early childhood artworks takes on additional significance when you discover that Ed's father, John, is an art curator and teacher, while his mother, Imogen, transitioned from curator to jewelry designer. They were quite strict when it came to their children's television consumption, instead urging Ed and his brother Matthew to explore the arts. Since then, Matthew has become a classical composer. Clearly, their parenting approach has produced fruitful results. John played a crucial role in curating "Made In Suffolk," and with his assistance, the Wolsey Art Gallery inside Christchurch Mansion was transformed into an imposing sanctuary dedicated to Sheeran.
In many ways, "Ed Sheeran: Made In Suffolk" felt like visiting a friend's house and flipping through beloved photo albums and memories from their parents. This is not a negative observation; after all, who doesn't enjoy peeking into someone else's nostalgia, especially when it's someone of Sheeran's stature? There are adorable home videos of him taking his first steps in the kitchen, handwritten song lyrics from his youth ("I'm the typical average teenager, if you know what I mean"), and remnants of his childhood Lego collection. Yet, amidst these glimpses of Ed Sheeran, the local boy and budding star, you'll also encounter Ed Sheeran, the global megastar. There's the immense original artwork for his 2017 album release, ÷, which he created in Damien Hirst's spin painting studio. You'll find platinum plaques from all corners of the world, as well as the Ed Sheeran puppet featured in his music videos for "Sing" and "Happier," each with over 200 million and 300 million views on YouTube, respectively. It's a journey that spans from local sensation to four-time Grammy winner, the artist who can enchant an 80,000-strong crowd at Wembley Stadium with nothing but his voice and a guitar.
When "Made In Suffolk" opened its doors, it drew visitors from far-flung countries like Australia, South Korea, and Peru. As devoted as his global fanbase may be, it's the mutual sense of pride that Sheeran and his hometown share for each other that gave this exhibition its true meaning. The poignant narrative of "a local boy making it big" permeates everything, from the choice of venue to the early newspaper clippings adorning the gift shop walls. "This is the East Anglian Daily Times, but it could also be called the Ed Sheeran Times. It's in there every week," they say, while photographs of an adult Sheeran in his beloved childhood spots underscore his deep affection for the region. If it takes a village to raise a child, perhaps it takes an entire county to nurture an international pop phenomenon.
The crescendo of the exhibition featured Colin Davidson's magnificent portrait of Sheeran, accompanied by five additional oil studies and three pencil sketches. Davidson created two portraits of Sheeran during their sitting in 2015, one of which resides in the National Portrait Gallery, while the other belongs to a "private collection" and was loaned to the "Made In Suffolk" exhibition. These paintings, combined with Mark Surridge's photographs capturing moments like Sheeran's performance alongside Stormzy at Wembley, truly underscore the magnitude of his accomplishments as an artist. Ed Sheeran doesn't just write catchy chart-toppers; he fills stadiums and poses for the same artist commissioned to paint portraits of the Queen. Whether you're a fervent Sheerio or not, you can't help but acknowledge the respect he rightfully deserves, and that's precisely what this exhibition achieves.
Selena Mattei
