Ed Sheeran turns 32 today and is celebrating by kicking off his 2023 world tour, titled, Mathematics Tour, in honor of the names of each of his albums (+, x, ÷, and most recently, =).
A snapshot of the “Shape of You” singer was posted to his friend, Paul Berrie O’Brien’s Instagram story, alongside The Last Song actor, Liam Hemsworth.
“Showtime,” the selfie of the three was captioned. “Couple of pre-show settlers. Happy birthday @teddysphotos [Sheeran’s Instagram handle].”
Sheeran’s newest album, =, was released in 2021. Based on the name of the tour, however, the setlist is bound to feature songs from all of his albums.
Sheeran’s last world tour concluded in 2019. But before that, he hadn’t toured since the end of 2015. At the time, he shared an Instagram post informing fans that he’d be stepping away from social media for a while.
“Hello all,” the post read. “I’m taking a break from my phone, emails and all social medias for a while, I’ve had such an amazing ride over the last 5 years but I find myself seeing the world through a screen and not my eyes so I’m taking this opportunity of me not having to be anywhere or do anything to travel the world and see everything I missed.”
But in an interview with People in 2018, he revealed it was a little more than just a hiatus for himself.
“I ended the tour and I [realized] I hadn’t ever really lived a life,” he said. “It’s quite weird being a touring ‘celebrity.’ People assume you’re living the best f—ing life in the world, but you don’t really get to live any life because you work the whole time.
“I haven’t properly formed relationships with people so I needed to have a year off and spend it with friends and family and Cherry [Seaborn] and actually become a human being.”
Cherry Seaborn is Sheeran’s now wife and mother to his two children. But at the time, she was only his fiancee and there were no little ones running about their house.
Seaborn and Sheeran had known each other since high school but drifted apart before reconnecting in New York City in 2015 (after he’d already made a name for himself in the music industry).
“One day, she was in New York and she went to go out with Cherry because Cherry worked on Wall Street,” Sheeran shared on a podcast. “And then she was like, ‘Oh Cherry Seaborn is in town, do you want to hang out?’ I was like, ‘Yes.’”
Throughout 2016, the couple went on to travel the world, including to Fiji, Australia, and Italy.
In a 2017 interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, Sheeran admitted that he wanted to take the year-long break to get to know Cherry better.
“We were basically like, ‘Let’s both quit our jobs and let’s have a year of forming a tight bond and relationship. So we went traveling and spent every day for a year together.”
It would prove to be a good decision for the two, as they ended up marrying each other in January 2018, and welcoming two daughters within the following four years.
The couple stays fairly private and live a happy, peaceful life together when Sheeran isn’t touring.
Sheeran’s world tour is underway, his North American stint kicking off in May. And I’m as excited as anyone because I’m seeing him on my birthday this summer. So, happy birthday Ed, and I’ll see you soon!
Sources:
https://people.com/music/who-is-cherry-seaborn-ed-sheerans-wife/
https://people.com/music/ed-sheeran-year-off-cherry-seaborn/
