A precocious child who started playing on the guitar at the age of 4. If there’s anyone to take inspiration from, it has to be Ed Sheeran. He is the epitome of success that comes with a strong grit in the face of all odds thrown against him.
Victim of persistent bullying at school for his stuttering, red hair, odd spectacles, and poor performances did not stop Ed from loving one thing passionately. His undying love for music turned around his life later and catapulted him to stardom, an epic success and one of the best singing sensations of his times.
Clearly, Ed (born Edward Christopher Sheeran) was more interested in his music rather than making friends, which made him the odd one out with a “weird childhood”, but he eventually grew up into an “interesting adult”, by his own admission. The turning point in his life was when he decided to overcome his stutter by training to rap as fast as his idol, Eminem. Before he realized and, as if by magic, he lost his stuttering forever.
He moved to London, penniless and spent several sleepless years on the streets of London in front of Buckingham Palace. One of the smartest things he did was to latch on to his dreams of a musician and post a video of himself playing the guitar. He soon got spotted by some prominent personalities. There was no looking back once he started releasing his albums in quick succession that topped the UK, US, and the Australian charts, and won international popularity with much acclaim. He has won the Grammy award for his best-selling albums. Ed has been at the top of his game ever since.
If you are looking to connect with Ed and his team, please take the following suggestions.
Write to the Manager or Booking Agent
It would be an honor to meet someone like Ed in person for interview or collaboration purposes. However, be enlightened to know that it would not be him, but his manager Stuart Camp who will be sealing the deal on his behalf. Celebrities are busy individuals who hire professionals to handle communications regarding brand endorsements and promotional campaigns, or even media interviews for them. Hence, your first effort should be to reach out to Ed’s manager, Stuart Camp. He is the man who has seen Ed reach dizzying heights of success — from bar gigs to headlining tours.
If you get lucky to be knocking on the right doors and have a strong point to make, Stuart could well put in a word for you and get Ed’s nod on your proposal. If it’s for charity, Ed is all for it – he has supported many in the past, and continues to do so.
Getting into a contract with a celebrity is never easy and the process is layered, decisions are never unilateral. You may be called in for several rounds of interviews for your deal before the final approval, and much would depend on Ed’s availability given his hectic schedule. Stuart is again the man you need to connect for a press pass. He will loop in Ed only when he is convinced about your purpose. Bring your demonstrative skills to good use if you are intent on having Ed onboard.
At the time of this writing, Jon Ollier is reported to be the booking agent representing the singer-songwriter. In 2020, Jon launched the One Fiinix Live, an independent music talent agency that represents top artists.
Connect via Facebook & Instagram
If you are a self-professed ‘Sheerio’ (as Ed’s fans are popularly called) and wish to tune into Ed’s (fondly called Teddy by his fans and loved ones) latest updates, you can follow him on his social media handles. Here’s where this rock star leaves snippets from his music albums/videos, teasers of his latest creations, posts pictures from his international musical outings, and lets his audience and fans know about his next tour/concert. You can even buy tickets for his upcoming shows via online payment modes on his website. The links to his social media pages are as follows – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Send a Fan Mail
They may not have instant results but fan mails are the good old way of sending out letters of admiration to the star of the moment. Remember, however, Ed (like all celebrities) has professionals to screen his fan mails so that he knows which to take and which ones to discard. It is, therefore, never a good idea to spam them – postal or email. Have an attractive subject line so that your letter gets the attention it should.
This Grammy-award winner is inundated with fan requests and mails (postal and email) on a daily basis, so be succinct. Here’s Ed’s Fan Mail Address:
Grumpy Old Management Ltd.
(Music Artist Management Company)
PO Box 114
295 Chiswick High Road
London W4 4HH, UK
No phone number has been given, however. On average, it takes 3+ months for someone from his team to revert, but they will keep your request and send you what you asked for (Ed’s signed photo, as in most cases). We wish you good luck in your endeavor!
