Ed Sheeran, born in England in 1991, began his raise to stardom in 2005. He started off playing small clubs and venues in and around West Yorkshire and soon began selling concert tickets to larger and larger venues. He has cited Damien Rice, The Beatles, Dylan, Nizlopi and Eminem as his biggest musical influences.
After touring as an opener for some UK acts and plating small venues, Sheeran released his own YouTube videos in 2010. AS his fame grew through YouTube shares and clincks, he released his debut EP, No. 5 Collaborations Project in 2011. His debut album, + was released later that year, and became the second best-selling album of 2011. In 2012, Sheeran supported Taylor Swift as the opening act on her North American tour dates for her “Red Tour”. In June 2014, Sheeran released his second album, X.