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Childhood -

Edward Christopher Sheeran was born on February 17, 1991.

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Halifax, UK -

He was born in a town called Halifax, which is situated in West Yorkshire, England.

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Ipswich, UK -

As a child, he moved from Yorkshire to a town called Framlingham in Suffolk, which is near the more well-known town of Ipswich, where Sheeran played his first gigs.

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Exhibition -

Since August 2019, an exhibition has been open in Ipswich, chronicling Sheeran's journey from Suffolk schoolboy to international superstar.

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Platinum -

There are many things on display at this exhibition, such as Sheeran's platinum records.

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Paintings -

There are also a large number of artworks on display, depicting the young man who turned into a cultural icon.

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London, UK -

In 2008, Sheeran moved to London, to try and advance his career.

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Recognition -

Gradually, throughout 2009 and 2010, people began to notice him. He built up a fan base online, and even received praise from Elton John!

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Jamie Foxx -

Sheeran slept on Jamie Foxx's couch in Los Angeles for several weeks in 2010, after performing at Foxx's club, the Foxxhole.

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Breakthrough -

Sheeran's breakthrough came in 2011. He released his first single, which was the best-selling debut single of the year and performed very well internationally.

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One Direction -

Ed Sheeran has many celebrity friends, such as Harry Styles. They go way back, as Sheeran actually co-wrote One Direction's 2011 single 'Moments.'

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Pharrell Williams -

Sheeran is also friends with Pharrell Williams, who has produced some songs for him and appears on his track 'Sing.'

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Amy Wadge -

Here Sheeran is pictured with British singer Amy Wadge, who collaborated with him before he was famous.

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Taylor Swift -

Sheeran has been good friends with Taylor Swift for some years, and he was her opening act for her Red Tour in 2013.  

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Stormzy -

British grime music star Stormzy is good friends with Sheeran. They have interviewed one another and performed together.

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LL Cool J -

Another, perhaps surprising, friend of Sheeran's is LL Cool J. The two are pictured onstage together at the Teen Choice Awards.

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Beyoncé -

Sheeran is now so famous and successful that he performs duets with fellow global superstars frequently, like Beyoncé.

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Shy -

Sheeran avoids the limelight in his personal life, but he'll still stop to take selfies with his fans.

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Fans -

Ed Sheeran has an enormous number of fans worldwide. His biggest fan-base, however, are teenagers.

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Talk shows -

The pop star is naturally very high in demand, and he has been invited to appear on a huge number of TV and radio shows over the years.

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Waxwork -

Ed Sheeran is now so recognizable that he has several waxworks devoted to him. He is pictured with his own wax statue in New York.

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Legal issues -

Ed Sheeran has dealt with at least a couple of lawsuits, in which he was accused, among other singers, of plagiarism.

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Charity -

Sheeran has frequently performed at charitable gigs, which have in turn raised a lot of money for worthy causes.

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Politics -

Ed Sheeran spoke out against Brexit, the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

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Justin Bieber -

Sheeran collaborated with Justin Bieber on the song 'I Don't Care,' which was released in May 2019, and achieved huge success.

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Awards -

To date, Sheeran has won over 100 awards for his music, and been nominated for over 300.

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Marriage -

In 2019, Sheeran married Cherry Seaborn, who was a friend and classmate from school. They are pictured at a soccer match for Ed's beloved Ipswich Town.

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Privacy -

It is evident from how infrequently Sheeran has been pictured with his wife, who is firmly out of the spotlight, how much he values his family's privacy.

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Continued success -

Sheeran has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, and is one of the world's best-selling musical artists.

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18-month break -

In August 2019, after performing a huge tour, Sheeran announced that he would be taking an 18-month break from touring. His superstar status has not stopped him from wanting to take quiet time for family, which recently grew with the birth of his daughter Lyra. But he since returned with a new single, ‘Afterglow,’ a Christmas gift to all his fans.

Click here to read about other musicians who have taken big breaks from music!

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