Ed Sheeran's Open Heart: The Price of Fame and Finding Balance

ED SHEERAN SPILLS THE TEA ON HIS CHART-TOPPING CAREER: FROM INTENSE UNHAPPINESS TO FINDING BALANCE WITH FAMILY

In a shocking revelation, global superstar Ed Sheeran has admitted that his blistering success in the music industry came at a steep price. The 34-year-old singer-songwriter, who has sold out stadiums and broken records with ease, has confessed to being "intensely unhappy" during the early days of his career.

In an exclusive interview with our publication, The Scholarly Note, Ed opened up about the dark side of fame, revealing that he sacrificed everything for success. "I think in the first decade of my career I was intensely unhappy as I had no balance," he revealed. "I was just work, work, work. And yes, everything was hyper-successful, but it was hyper-successful because I had no personal life at all."

The hitmaker, who has released his eighth studio album, Play, last week, confessed that he prioritized work over relationships, family, and friends. "To be that successful in my 20s you have to give everything of yourself all day, every day, and there's a time limit to that, sanity-wise," he admitted.

But Ed has since taken his foot off the gas, making time for the things that truly matter – his loved ones. The singer married his long-term partner Cherry Seaborn in 2019 and the pair share two adorable children, Lyra, five, and Jupiter, three. They are notoriously private about their relationship, but Ed gave a rare glimpse into life with Cherry earlier this week.

At a surprise fan event in London on Tuesday, Ed spoke candidly about the ups and downs of marriage, revealing that he writes songs about "real conflict" as much as the happy moments. "Cherry knows I write about everything – not just the good stuff," he said. "Songs like 'Perfect' exist, but so do the ones about real conflict. That's part of any relationship, and I think it's important to be honest about it."

But Ed's newfound balance is a far cry from his hectic early days in the industry. "In my early career, it was 100 per cent work, 0 per cent personal life," he revealed. "Now it's 70 per cent family, 30 per cent music. Balance isn't just healthy – it's success."

And it seems that Ed's new approach to life has inspired his music too. He shared a juicy tidbit with our publication: one of his new songs is actually written for Cherry! "Cherry heard the Bono story about missing his wife's birthday and writing her a song, so it inspired me to gift her one," he revealed. "It's a personal moment that exists only for her."

The singer also opened up about how becoming a father has changed him, saying: "When I look back at these years with my family and friends, I want to say: I lived those days and I enjoyed every minute." It's clear that Ed has finally found his happy place – and it's all thanks to his loved ones.

In the end, Ed's story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of sacrificing everything for success. But it's also a testament to the power of finding balance in life and loving those who truly matter. As Ed himself said: "Balance isn't just healthy – it's success."