British singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran recently revealed the reason he stopped using a phone in 2015 during an appearance on the podcast “Therapuss with Jake Shane.”
The “Shape of You” singer shared that he prefers to communicate via email rather than through a cell phone.
When asked for his phone number, Sheeran responded, “I don’t have a number, but you can have my email,” emphasizing that he wasn’t trying to brush Shane off. He explained that his team provides him with a phone during events for social media purposes, but it isn’t an active working phone.
This change began in December 2015 when Sheeran realized he had too many contacts to manage. “I had the same number from like age 15,” he explained. “I got famous, and I had 10,000 contacts on my phone. People would just text all the time, and I was constantly in touch with a lot of people.” He felt overwhelmed by the expectation to reply promptly to every message, saying, “With phones, everyone expects you to reply, and if you don’t, it’s rude.”
To break free from this constant communication and avoid phone addiction, Sheeran decided to stop using a phone and switched to an iPad, checking emails only once a week. “On a Thursday or Friday, I sit down, usually in the car. I blast all the emails. Catch up. Do all the talking to whoever… and that’s it. You can really limit your time,” he said.
Sheeran noted that not having a phone allows him to be present and enjoy uninterrupted moments, such as having dinner with his best friend. Additionally, email communication alleviates the pressure of instant replies and potential negative reactions.
He also affirmed that being disconnected fosters creativity. “When you’re just sitting doing nothing, that’s when I think of a lyric or a melody,” he explained. “Nothing creative has ever come out of being connected the whole time. Boredom is what makes someone think of an iPhone.”
As of now, Ed Sheeran is worth approximately $200 million, equivalent to around ₦300 billion.