Interview with: ED SHEERAN

Hey everyone!

Back in April, I was able to interview the talented Ed Sheeran over a meal of Toronto's version of bangers and mash at Elephant and Castle, which was different than what he was used to over in the UK. "It looks great but we’d never have onion rings with our bangers n mash. I’m sure it’s wonderful though." While he had a bite to eat during a busy day of press, we chatted about his music, social media, and his celeb twin Rupert Grint.

I had previously posted up a 'sneak peek' - but now that the article is out in the newest issue of Faze Magazine (featuring Marianas Trench on the cover; go buy it!), I am doing a full Ed Sheeran post with a bit of Q&A from my interview :) If you haven't listened to his debut album '+' yet, it's a must!

Read the full article in the latest issue of Faze Magazine!

Q: How would you describe your song-writing process?

Ed Sheeran: There is no process for me to song-writing and I think having process to song-writing takes the - I don’t want to sound too muse-owen and weird but - it takes the magic out. There’s a certain thing when you write a good song and it takes 20 minutes to do you don’t know where that comes from, you just sit down and bam it’s kind of there. I think if you have a structure to it, like I’m going to write a hit, they end up not having any feeling in it and that’s when you sort of start to become a manufactured writer and you think in sales rather than think in feeling.

Q: What inspired your unique sound that brings together different styles?

ES: I listen, and have listened, to a lot of music throughout my whole life and I’m a fan of most of it, so I don’t really like fitting in one particular genre. I find it really boring if I’m just a guy with an acoustic guitar so I try to experiment and if I like the style then I’ll write a song in that style.

Q: When you collaborate with all these hip-hop artists, what do you bring to the table?

ES: I grew up in folk music and the rappers grew up on hip hop and folk music and rap are so similar from the point of view that they tell stories. You could take an Eminem song and add acoustic guitar to it and it could easily be a Bob Dylan song. I guess we just bring a similar thing just in two different ways. So I bring my musical melodies and expertise with different parts and being able to create beats, and they bring their lyrical skill.

Q: How did you and Rupert Grint come together for your music video for “Lego House”?

ES: The video concept came together for “Lego House” because I’ve always been told that I’ve looked like him and I just wanted to take the opportunity to try and play with people’s heads a little bit and make them think that Rupert Grint had started up a solo career and changed his name. So I got in touch through Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter, and Rupert said yes and we did the video. And we’ve been friends since then.

Q: How has social media played a role into where you are today?

ES: I think social media plays a role in the music industry now because I’m told countless times by fans “I bought your album because I like you. I would’ve illegally downloaded it, but I like you so I bought your record.” And I think nowadays it’s so easy to download music illegally but you do it for any act, but I think social media makes you actually care for that act; not only musically, but as a person. If you find out someone’s personality on Twitter and you click with it, you’re more with the act. So for me, I’ve been tweeting for ages, and I tweet everything on my mind and there’s no real barrier so I guess kids just have a connection to that. It’s cool; I do question and answer sessions and tell them when things come out and that sort of thing. So yeah I think social media is a very important thing.

Q: How is 2012 going to be different than any other year?

ES: 2012 is going to be kind of the same as 2011, but I’m just going to be doing more in other countries. 2012 is the year of North America for me. Last year I did Australia and Japan and Europe and England and Hong Kong and Singapore and those places. And I think since North America is so large that 2012 has to be focused on that, so that’s very much what it is going to be. It’s going to be the same sort of thing in capacity, but I’m going to be here really.

Q: Who would you love to collaborate with in the future?

ES: I’d love to work with Stevie Wonder. I think him as a musician and artist is one of the best who’ve ever lived and I think to just even meet him would be enough.

Q: Do you have a moment you’re most proud of?

ES: I think the way that it worked out, having all the power within the label creatively from me not signing early and feeding out some independent EPs and touring out - I’m proud of the way I did it because now I have a lot of freedom. It’s good.

He'll be back in Toronto this Monday, Sept. 17 for a concert at Echo Beach, as well as for an appearance at MuchMusic on New.Music.Live!

- Christina

Follow my adventures on Twitter: @christinaaa28