Ed Sheeran reveals intense early career work left him unhappy; now prioritises family, balancing fatherhood and music for true success

CJ Desk

Grammy winner Ed Sheeran says he had “no balance” in his life, as he put his music over his personal happiness for years. “I think in the first decade of my career I was intensely unhappy as I had no ­balance, 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. “Work was everything. I think ­finding that balance with getting married, having a family, living around my friends... Being able to spend time with my friends and family - that has now become 70 percent of my life, and work is like 30 percent. Before, it was 100 per cent and zero anything else,” Sheeran said. 

He added: “The balance of getting to exist as a human being rather than just a pop star machine - that would be my measure of success.” Sheeran, who has daughters Lyra, five, and three-year-old Jupiter with his wife Cherry Seaborn, now makes sure he and his family take priority over his career. 

He said: “The stage I am at in my career is that I am really happy and settled. I am really happy with who I am as an artist, the music I am ­creating and the shows I am doing. Honestly, the biggest thing for me is being able to balance being a dad and being a husband, and to feel like I am achieving both things to a good level.”  The “Perfect” hitmaker talked about working too hard during his younger years, but he now wants to enjoy his success and his family life. Sheeran said: “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.”