Music producer Benny Blanco is showing love for longtime collaborator and global pop icon Ed Sheeran — and it’s not just about the hits.
In a new TIME100 cover story published on April 16, Blanco, 37, opened up about what makes the Grammy-winning artist, 34, so easy for fans to connect with. “He sings sentences that we say all the time, but nobody ever puts them together like that in a song,” Blanco said, praising Sheeran’s lyrical authenticity.
Blanco didn’t hold back when drawing parallels between himself and the “Perfect” singer. “The thing that makes him so good—and I’m in a similar spot—we’re just kind of like the average Joe that shouldn’t have really made it, but somehow we did. He has that humility and that insecurity, and I think that’s what makes him so relatable.”
And while Sheeran might come across as modest, his work ethic is anything but. Blanco marveled at Sheeran’s songwriting drive, saying, “Normally, it takes me like a week to write a good song. He does not leave the studio until he writes three songs in a day. It’s insane.”
Sheeran himself has admitted to having record-breaking writing sessions. He once cranked out eight songs in a single day — one of which was “Eastside,” his smash hit with Halsey and Khalid.
The multi-platinum artist recently showed off his humorous side, too. In an April 8 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Sheeran went full undercover in a goth disguise — complete with dark clothes, wigs, and piercings — to perform in the New York City subway. Joining forces with Fallon as their alter egos “Frat Poison,” the duo covered Chappell Roan’s viral anthem “Pink Pony Club,” drawing a huge crowd before revealing their true identities and giving a live taste of Sheeran’s new single, “Azizam,” which dropped on April 4.
Always planning ahead, Sheeran recently teased what’s next for his discography. Speaking with Fallon, he shared that his next five albums will stick to his long-running theme of symbolic titles. “When I was like 18, I had an idea for like 10 albums. It’s Plus, Multiply, Divide, Subtract, Equals, and then Play, Pause, Fast Forward, Rewind and Stop.” The next project? Play is officially on the way.
From subway surprises to songwriting marathons, Sheeran continues to balance superstardom with a down-to-earth charm — just the way fans like it.
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