Global superstar Ed Sheeran has publicly addressed the speculation surrounding his marriage to childhood sweetheart Cherry Seaborn, while defending his decision to pen intensely personal songs about their relationship. The 34-year-old singer-songwriter spoke out at a Spotify event ahead of his performance at the Capital Jingle Bell Ball with Barclaycard this weekend.
Songwriting as an Emotional Snapshot
According to reports from The Sun, Sheeran explained that his music captures moments of extreme emotion, rather than depicting his entire reality at any given time. "Sometimes people listen to records today and assume that what that song is, is their world 100 per cent at the time," he stated. The artist described songwriting as a process driven by heightened feelings, never originating from an average or 'meh' day.
"You always write songs like, 'This is the most loving I've ever felt, this is the happiest I've ever felt, this is the angriest I've ever felt'," Sheeran elaborated. He believes these "big extremities" are what inspire creation and allow fans to connect deeply with the music, as they too experience powerful emotions.
Performance Under Scrutiny
The A Team singer's comments follow a recent headline performance where observers noted a change in his usual stage demeanour. A source told the Daily Mail that during his set, Sheeran appeared to lack his characteristic high energy and was "avoiding speaking" to the sold-out crowd between songs, perhaps to avoid saying "the wrong thing."
His 30-minute set featured a series of slow romantic ballads, including Perfect—a song dedicated to his wife Cherry, tracing their journey from childhood friends to soulmates. The performance was described as beautiful, albeit with notably brief transitions. The crowd did find light relief when Sheeran momentarily forgot the lyrics to his Christmas hit, Merry Christmas, awkwardly humming before finding his way back to the chorus.
Prioritising Family and Future Plans
Sheeran, who shares two daughters—Lyra and Jupiter—with Cherry, recently admitted he needs to focus more on his family after fans expressed concerns about the state of his marriage. Friends of the couple are "adamant there are no issues" with the relationship.
In a practical move to avoid lengthy separations, the family plans to relocate to Nashville, Tennessee, for much of 2026 while Sheeran tours the United States. Furthermore, as his children approach school age, the artist is reportedly planning to construct a state-of-the-art venue near his home in Suffolk. This would allow him to undertake a long-running residency, eliminating extensive travel and enabling him to remain close to home.
"I wrote down a list the other day of things that matter to me and one is my family, one is songwriting, one is doing shows," Sheeran told The Sun. He sees this new model as a way to "cut out the noise" and maintain a balance between his career and personal life.
A Relationship Forged in Suffolk
Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn, 33, first met at Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham, Suffolk. They lost touch when Seaborn moved to the United States to study at Duke University in North Carolina. The pair reconnected in 2015 and began dating, marrying three years later in a ceremony at their local church near Sheeran's Suffolk estate.
Despite Sheeran's immense fame and fortune, Cherry has largely shunned the spotlight. She maintained a career as a consultant in the nature, climate and sustainability team at Deloitte until March last year.
Lyrical Honesty and Past Challenges
Sheeran's latest album, Autumn Variations, features several tracks that offer a raw look at relationship struggles. Lyrics reference wanting to make things work, past separations, and reconciliation.
- Skeletons alludes to drunken late-night arguments, with Sheeran pleading to pause a feud until morning.
- Technicolor sees him admit his "attention's been divided."
- Satellite expresses a desire for peace, acknowledging he sometimes "says the wrong things."
- Crashing and Rapture explore the cyclical nature of conflict and the hope for resolution.
The couple has also faced significant health challenges. In 2023, Sheeran revealed he felt like he was "drowning" after doctors discovered a tumour in Cherry's arm while she was six months pregnant with their second child in February 2022.
Sheeran's professional success continues unabated. His recent Mathematics Tour, which concluded in September this year, comprised 188 shows across five continents, playing to 8.8 million fans and grossing an estimated £655.8 million. This follows his previous Divide tour, which earned £581.3 million between 2017 and 2019.
Representatives for Ed Sheeran have been contacted by the Daily Mail for comment on the ongoing rumours.
