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15 August 2021

Ed Sheeran: “I Think Kids Should Be Encouraged To Be Creative”

Ed Sheeran TikTok UEFA Euros Livestream
Photo: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo
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Ed Sheeran has spoken about his experiences in the music industry and encouraging the next generation of musicians in a new interview with the Sunday Mirror. He told the newspaper: “I think kids should be encouraged to be creative. When I was a child, saying you wanted to be a musician, they’d go, ‘You need to get a real job.’ School is so stressful. You’ve got all these exams – maths, English and science – all these things are very difficult. But what I want to say to kids is if you do what you love, you will eventually get paid for it.”

Despite his staggering successs, Sheeran insists the early days of his career provided him with the formative experiences that made him, “You learn way more from failure than you do from success. I have played Wembley Stadium and I’ve played a bar in Swindon to one person. And playing the bar in Swindon taught me more than Wembley Stadium.”

Still, despite his words of encouragement for young people, Ed recently admitted he doesn’t want his daughter Lyra to follow in his footsteps when she gets older as he wants her to have her own identity away from him. “I think it’s from being in the music industry – I’m like, ‘I would not wish this on my child. I would hate for her to be known as my daughter rather than just Lyra, I want her to have own identity.”

Sheeran has recently announced an intimate show at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London next month to mark a decade since the release of his debut album, +. He will perform the record in its entirety on 2 September, with fans able to purchase tickets via a ballot which can be accessed here.

“While I’ve been lucky enough to continue playing shows across the world, Shepherd’s Bush Empire is still really special to me,” said Sheeran. “When I first set out in music, one of my main goals was to one day headline SBE and my first gig there is still one of my favourite shows that I’ve played. I can’t wait to get back and celebrate 10 years of + with you.”

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