Ed Sheeran Explains Why He Ditched His Phone for Nearly a Decade

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Ed Sheeran recently shared why he’s avoided using a phone for several years. During his first concert in Sydney as part of his Loop Tour, he told the 70,000-person crowd about the eight-year copyright lawsuit he faced. He was accused of copying the melody from Marvin Gaye’s classic song “Let’s Get It On” in his 2014 hit, “Thinking Out Loud.” The lawsuit, which began in 2015, was finally resolved in 2023 when a New York jury found in his favor.

Ed Sheeran explained to the audience that over the past decade, any news coverage of him likely stemmed from a copyright lawsuit he faced in 2015. He was accused of plagiarizing someone else’s song, and his only recourse, since he hadn’t copied anyone’s work, was to fight the claim in court and prove his innocence.

During the legal proceedings, Ed Sheeran was required to submit his phones and other devices for review. He jokingly said he was relieved there wasn’t anything embarrassing found on them. The whole process actually led him to decide to stop using a phone altogether.

You know, I was down in Australia back in 2015 promoting Multiply, and I had a real moment at the end of the trip. I actually turned off my phone and thought, ‘That’s it, I’m done with mobile phones!’ I immediately switched to email, and honestly, I’ve been happily using it ever since. It was a surprisingly liberating decision.

Revisiting his old phone for the legal case brought back a flood of memories. He described turning it on to access old messages as feeling like traveling back in time, not just to 2015, but all the way back to 2007 when he first started using that phone number. He said the experience was incredibly disorienting, like being frozen in the past.

Thinking about his past led to the creation of “Old Phone,” a song on his 2025 album, Play, which he played for the audience in Sydney. He shared that songwriting helps him process both difficult and positive experiences: “Whenever something good or bad happens, writing a song about it helps me understand it and make sense of it.”

My songs are usually very intense, capturing extreme emotions. I either pour everything into them or feel completely overwhelmed. I’ve found that the best songs often come from difficult times and tough days.

Sheeran expressed his appreciation for his Australian fans, noting the country has consistently supported him throughout his career. He recalled his early performances there, saying, “The crowds have always been incredibly energetic, even when I first started coming to Australia around age 19 or 20.” He added that the enthusiastic response from Australian audiences has remained consistent regardless of the event or day.

He shared his excitement about returning to Sydney, saying, “If you’re still able to speak tomorrow, I haven’t put on a good enough show!” He explained that Australia holds a special place in his heart as it was the first country outside the UK where he achieved a hit song, and he’s thrilled to be launching his tour there. He emphasized how much it means to him and hopes the audience feels that connection.

As a huge Sheeran fan, I’m thrilled to hear he’s still got two more Sydney shows lined up! After that, he’s continuing his tour down under, hitting Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide – it’s going to be an amazing run of concerts!

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2026-02-15 12:51