Ed Sheeran has seen massive success in his career while creating a brand of music that is uniquely his own. His mix of pop, singer-songwriter, folk and rock music has captivated fans for years, and the superstar says he isn’t opposed transitioning to country someday.
If country music is Sheeran’s next destination, he’s headed in the right direction, as he will be performing alongside a still-unnamed artist at Thursday night’s (May 11) ACM Awards.
The star chatted with Billboard prior to the show, saying that an official change into country music may not be too far in the future.
“I talk about this to my wife all the time. I would love to transition into country,” he told the publication during rehearsals for the show. “I love the culture of it, I just love the songwriting. It’s just like brilliant songs.”
Sheeran also has experience in country music’s capital of Nashville — he even lived there for stints of time in the past. The English singer calls the city a “community,” and says there’s not a city in Europe that compares when it comes to a large concentration of musicians.
“It’s not just for country music,” he explains. “Nashville is just a hub of incredible songwriters, incredible performers. And I really felt inspired just being there being around everyone.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sheeran’s friend and fellow musician Taylor Swift was one of the first artists to get him on the country music train when they toured together on her Red Tour. He says he and his wife now listen to their local country music radio station in England “all day, every day.”
As for who he’s enjoying in country music these days? Sheeran says Luke Combs has the potential to grow his career even bigger than he already has — especially in the international market.
“Luke Combs could probably play a stadium in England,” he remarks. “I think if he put on Wembley [Stadium] next summer, he could sell it.”
The 2023 ACM Awards will air live from the Ford Center in Texas at 7PM ET on Amazon Prime Video. Country icons Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks are the hosts.