Is Ed Sheeran Going to Start Making Death Metal?

Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” is ranked as the second-most famous song on YouTube but what you might not know is that he was not planning on singing it. He envisioned the song as a duet between Rihanna Rudimental, but when the record label head heard it, he asked Sheeran why he wanted to give away such a song. Well, that is Sheeran for you; he loves writing music, not caring whether it becomes a hit song or not. Thanks to his songwriting skills, we have come to know him as a pop musician, but he recently said death metal is still in the cards. He grew up listening to Slipknot and Cradle of Filth and learned riffs from the rock bands, so creating it would be easy. Let’s tell you the whole story and how people are reacting to the news.

Never Considered Doing Death Metal

Many articles questioning why death metal seems to have millions of fans, yet it promotes violence have been published. For instance, Cannibal Corpse is a successful death metal band that has sold more than 2 million units globally. Yet, its songs are mostly about rape, torture, necrophilia, murder, decapitation, and infanticide. Strangely, fans relate to the violent content positively, saying it brings them peace, joy, and power. Maybe it is for these reasons that Sheeran has never considered making death metal music. He disclosed that he loved listening to death metal as a child and cited Slipknot and Cradle of Filth as some of his favorite bands. He was very adamant that he could never step into the world of death metal, but the music helped him learn the riffs. As an adult who now can make informed decisions on the type of music he chooses to create, the British singer said that he is not opposed to creating it, but it has never crossed his mind. Unfortunately, most people are not taking his statement seriously. Dani Filth of Cradle of Filth wrote on his Instagram that he will believe it when he sees it. Others suggested a collaboration between the two, while some laughed it off, saying if Sheeran is serious, the best proof would be to do it. Still, the ginger-haired musician has amassed fans all over the globe who believe he is talented, so they said if he ever did make death metal, it would be great. He would have an even larger fan base from both sides of the music genres.

He Has Always Had a Soft Spot for Metal Bands

According to Mercury News, Sheeran’s parents influenced his taste in music; whenever they drove to London, they would put on some Van Morrison. However, when he started playing the guitar, Eric Clapton and Guns N’ Roses were his favorite; terming them as “very guitar-driven people,” he would do their covers. He had watched Clapton perform “Layla” on television, and the talented musician inspired Sheeran to want to play like him. However, Sheeran attributes his success to Damien Rice. The “Shape of You” singer recounted watching Rice perform in a small club in Ireland and was mesmerized. It was the first time Sheeran had even seen someone perform at such proximity. Watching Rice captivate the entire audience got Sheeran thinking about being a musician. Therefore, once the performance was over, he talked to Rice, who was so nice to him. The British singer believes if Rice had not been receptive, he would not have become a songwriter; the positive attitude encouraged Sheeran to start writing songs at 11. Although he switched gears later, he did not forget about the love he had for metal music. He told Ultimate Guitar that one day he was listening to Slipknot and the next to Rice. Since heavy metal still holds a special place in his heart, he covered a few heavy metal songs for Jimmy Fallon in 2015 during “The Tonight Show.” He proved that whatever he touches, he turns it into gold regardless of the genre. Even when he did other unexpected live covers, the audience acknowledged that Sheeran is a musical genius, and his voice makes even heavy metal sound so soothing.

Music Saved Him

Sheeran now has the freedom of choosing whether to do death metal or continue writing love songs, but his childhood had him feeling powerless. According to Goalcast, he struggled socializing in school and always felt like an outsider. The huge spectacles and ginger hair made him a target for bullies at school; to make matters worse, he had surgery that went wrong and left him with a lazy eye. He also had speech problems that prevented him from participating in class. His rightful place was in music, and at 4, he joined the choir, the only place he felt he belonged. Consequently, when he began playing the guitar at 11, he was in control. In his teenage years, Sheeran started rebelling, and his father, who prioritized education, saw it best not to push him to excel in academics. Instead, Sheeran’s father started taking him to musical gigs so he could be inspired to make music. Ironically, the ginger hair that used to make him feel like an outsider later became his saving grace because he could be easily spotted. His father bought an Eminem CD one day after hearing his favorite musician, Bob Dylan, being compared to the rapper. As Sheeran listened to Eminem, he was captivated by how fast he could rap, and the CD helped him put his speech problem to rest as he learned all the words. He started dreaming about becoming a pop star at the age of 13 and began working towards accomplishing that goal. By the time he was 14, he had released “The Orange Room and Spinning Man.” Upon turning 16, he dropped out of school and headed to London, where he barely had enough to survive but soldiered on, producing and playing music for his upkeep. He rose from the ground to become one of the best-selling musicians worldwide; therefore, when Sheeran says that he is not opposed to making death metal, people should believe that he will make the best death metal music should he ever give it a try.