Don't hate on Ed Sheeran
Just about everyone either went to Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” or tried to get tickets. For the past six months, every social media app has been full of posts about Swift and how cool it is that she's touring her previous albums.
However, seemingly no one is talking about another great artist: Ed Sheeran.
Sheeran has been touring this past year on his “+–=÷× Tour,” pronounced “The Mathematics Tour.” The tour consists of his previous albums, going back to 2011, when Sheeran released his first album “+.”
I was obsessed with Sheeran in middle school but veered away from his music as he released more electronic-sounding songs. As more of my friends hated on Sheeran, I listened to him less until he started touring again and released his album “-.”
I went to his Minneapolis concert on Aug. 12 and was reminded, once again, that Sheeran is a pretty good musician. I believe people should hate him less.
Sheeran’s version of “The Eras Tour” was phenomenal, and I am always in awe of how he performs live by himself — just him, his guitar and his loop pedal.
Sheeran’s songs are all mostly made by himself. He uses a loop pedal to repeat his voice and the melodies he creates on his guitar. Sometimes he also adds piano or other instruments.
I will admit that some of his songs, like “Bad Habits,” are a bit annoying, but everyone should see Sheeran perform at least once live or in videos on YouTube. Seeing how he creates his songs is truly captivating.
I also love how human Sheeran is when he performs. He’s just a guy on stage in a t-shirt and jeans. He doesn’t dress up or act like he’s special in any way.
When I saw him perform, he was surprisingly humble when he talked in between songs to the 72,000 people in U.S. Bank Stadium. Throughout the show, he constantly thanked us for taking the time out of our weekend to see him. He talked about how nobody would listen to him when he first started performing in restaurants and on the streets.
Sheeran also has a documentary on Disney+ that I highly recommend watching. It shows a lot of what inspired his album “-” and also how he makes his songs.
When it comes to his music, Sheeran has quite a range. If you just listen to what’s popular, it basically all sounds the same. However, if you look at all of his albums and songs that people don’t know as well, you’ll see that he can sing anything from rap to folk.
“You Need Me, I Don’t Need You” from his first album and “The Hills of Aberfeldy” from his latest album are two examples of his varying musical capabilities. If you truly listen to his songs and ignore the hate he receives, you will see that he is a talented musician.
I know Sheeran’s music is not for everyone, but I recommend giving him a second chance and listening to some of his songs beyond the overplayed ones.
