Time Magazine released its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World on Wednesday. The list features the names of those individuals who have generated significant impact through their work and journey, in a wide range of fields, including entertainment and music. While the list features names of actors like Demi Moore, Blake Lively, Kristen Wiig, Scarlett Johansson and more, it also includes the name of one singer whose work has become a worldwide success story, uniting generations of people through the power of storytelling. (Also read: World’s richest actor is worth $1.4 billion, has no blockbuster, yet richer than Tom Cruise, Dwayne Johnson, Shah Rukh)
One of the most influential people in the world
Ed Sheeran has been named in the 2025 list of one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine. Actor Chris Hemsworth wrote about him in the citation, stating that Ed has an “instinct for storytelling that makes you feel like he wrote that song just for you, no matter where you’re from or what you’ve been through.”
Ed Sheeran’s journey
Ed Sheeran was born in 1991 in Halifax, West Yorkshire. He was interested in music from a very young age, when he joined the church choir at the age of six. His parents, John and Imogen, were both artistically inclined. There was no stopping him even at that age, as he quickly learnt how to play the guitar at age eleven. Ed started off as a busker in London when he was around eighteen years of age.
The singer did not land an entry after auditioning for teh CBBC musical drama Britannia High in 2008, but that was just the start for him. He attended ACM in Guildford for only a year, after which he quit to tour with singer Just Jack. His breakthrough came in 2010 when he posted a video through SB.TV, and debuted his first single, The A Team. It became a hit with the audience.
Ed released his first album Plus in 2011, and the rest is, as they say, history. Songs like Lego House and You Need Me, I Don’t Need You were instant hits, catapulting his name to be labelled the next musical talent to watch out for. His name became widely known after he collaborated with Taylor Swift on the single Everything Has Changed. His second second studio album, × (Multiply), was released in 2014, and became a sensation. At the 57th Grammy Awards it was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year. He has sold 200 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in history.
Ed in India
What’s more? Earlier this year in January, Ed kickstarted his 6-city India tour with a magical performance in Pune. Ed surprised fans in Bengaluru with an unannounced performance on Church Street. However, he was stopped mid-way by the police, and a video of the incident went viral on social media.
At the Bengaluru concert, he surprised fans by bringing out Shilpa Rao. He even visited the hometown of singer Arijit Singh in West Bengal. In Chennai, he was joined by Indian composer AR Rahman for a special rendition of the classic Urvasi song. Safe to say, India loves him, and fas can’t wait to have the singer back again.
