Ed Sheeran gets real about confronting darkness behind spotlight

Ed Sheeran, chart-topping artist who is best known for his soulful voice and hits, has recently opened up about his personal battle with depression and anxiety.

2022 was a brutal year for the Perfect hitmaker, as he lost his best friend, Jamal Edwards, at just 31 in 2022. However, his wife, Cherry, was also diagnosed with a tumor while pregnant with their second child, and to top it off, he couldn’t make it to his grandmother’s funeral because of a court case over a copyright lawsuit.

He told Speaking to TIME magazine: “One thing I've learned about depression is you don’t take a magic pill and it's suddenly gone.”

“But you can have periods of your life where you're better, and periods of your life where you're not. It gets less and less painful year on year, but always allow yourself to feel grief. Don't put it in a box and lock it away,” he added.

Sheeran’s 2023 albums and Autumn Variations didn’t hit the same success as his past hits. But when things were rough, his friend Sir Elton John gave him the advice he needed to get through the slump.

The Shape of You singer said: “He's had decades of his career where things haven't gone well, and then suddenly he comes back with 'The Lion King' or something like that.

“It's an inspiring thing, because it just means that you don't ever have to judge your career on how you are at that point in time.”

Earlier, Ed Sheeran made a surprising revelation during his appearance on The Tonight Show, as he shared that he hasn't used a phone since 2015