Ed Sheeran said he is relocating to the United States for the foreseeable future, telling a podcast he and his family will "settle" there while he undertakes an extended tour.
The 34-year-old singer made the announcement on the 2 Johnnies podcast, saying he planned to be based in America because he could not "dip in and out" while touring with a young family. He has recently bought a reported £9 million home in New York and owns a property portfolio that has been reported at about £70 million.
Sheeran did not specify a city for the move on the podcast. He spends much of his time at his Sheeranville estate in Suffolk with his wife, Cherry Seaborn, and their daughters, Lyra, 5, and Jupiter, 3, but said the logistics of touring with a family meant a longer stay in the United States was necessary.
The singer has previously signaled a desire to work more in country music and has described Nashville as his favourite U.S. city. Earlier this year he said transitioning into country music could make a U.S. move an "end goal," adding, "When you transition to country, you can’t transition back. Nashville is my favourite city in the States and it’s always been my end goal to move to Nashville and transition to country."
The relocation announcement comes about two months after Sheeran drew criticism for comments made on The Louis Theroux Podcast in which he described himself as identifying "culturally as Irish." Born and raised in Suffolk, he said his upbringing included strong Irish influences through his father, who is from Belfast. "I class my culture as Irish. I think that's what I grew up with," Sheeran said on the Theroux interview, adding that his first musical experiences were in Ireland and that he considered the country a "second home, musically."
Those comments prompted a mixed public response on social media. Some users challenged his description of his cultural identity, while others defended his right to identify with his family heritage and musical upbringing in Ireland. Press coverage of both the identity remarks and the relocation has noted the wider context of Sheeran's international career and frequent travel.
Representatives for Sheeran did not immediately provide further details on the timing or duration of the U.S. relocation, or whether the move is intended to be permanent. His comments indicate the decision is tied to touring logistics and artistic direction. The singer continues to maintain properties in both Britain and the United States as his career and family commitments evolve.
Sheeran rose to global prominence with a string of hit albums and singles and has frequently cited personal ties to Ireland and Britain in interviews. Any long-term change of residence is likely to affect where he spends the bulk of his working and family life while he pursues new projects and tour commitments in the United States.