10 Reasons Ed Sheeran Should Be Your New Man Crush

It’s been an ugly cry kind of day, but after shedding substantial tears on a congested drive from Santa Monica to Atwater Village, I feel like my sassy self again thanks to Ed Sheeran’s underdog tune, “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You,” a reminder to all that anyone would be lucky to have you as a significant other, employee, friend, etc. I think we can all connect with this strong-minded, confident sentiment in some way, and luckily there’s so much more to love about the budding British singer behind such a powerful song. Here are ten reasons Ed Sheeran is my own personal Justin Timberlake and should be yours as well.

10. He’s a champion for gingers

You may envy natural redheads for being different, but take it from a lady who grew up being called “freckle face” and some other choice nicknames: it’s not glamorous most of the time, and I’m sure Ed Sheeran was subjected to even more jokes than the average female redhead. But he gives us gingers a good name and reiterates to people with other hair colors that we have souls, too.

9. He’s buddies with Taylor Swift

Swiftie is adorable, and these two make quite an adorable BFF team. Have you heard their collaborative hit “Everything Has Changed?” It’s a winner, and it also made me tear up on that drive through LA yesterday. Thanks a lot, Taylor and Ed!

8. He admits he’s got talent

Ed Sheeran is familiar with rejection and being told his work is inadequate, but rather than cry over criticism, he blasts the haters through music. “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You” expresses something true for all of us. If you’ve ever been denied a job for which you were absolutely qualified or dumped for someone else, a song like this could do you some good. I’m not saying you have to feel vengeful or behave like you’re too good for anyone, but never forget your worth, even if others lead you to believe you don’t deserve what you want.

7. He’s British

That accent gets me every time.

6. He’s got variety

From the newly popular “Sing” to “A Team,” he dabbles into many different sounds, making him an artist pretty much anyone could enjoy.

5. He doesn’t look like your average heartthrob

I’d much rather follow a talented singer than a gorgeous but milquetoast one, and while Ed Sheeran lacks the sculpted abs of Nick Lachey circa 1998, he’s got some incredible vocal chords and has still charmed his way up to 9 million Twitter followers. He’s aware of this too and recently told Q magazine, “I don’t think I’ve ever sold records based on my looks, which is positive, [because] it means that even if I do become a fat slob when I’m older, it won’t matter.”

4. He already has a house for his future wife and kids

Most young single men shudder at the thought of settling down someday, but Ed Sheeran has already invested in a house where he plans to raise his family.

“I’m renovating a property where I grew up,” he revealed to The Sun. “This is going to be the family house for when I have kids and stuff. I’m planting a lot of trees. Actually, it’s a farm I’m turning into a woodland.”

So sweet! Now all he needs to do is meet the lady of his dreams and go from there. Any takers?

3. He’s thankful

Ed Sheeran appreciates folks who’ve gone the extra mile for him in his career. After opening for Taylor Swift’s tour throughout 2013, he got a Red tattoo to show his gratitude for the pop singer and remarked, “I think Taylor’s just opening up a lot of doors and it’s up to me to make sure that I get through to them. It’s a massive opportunity for me and I want to make sure to grab it with both hands … it will be exciting to be back in a situation where I’m playing in front of people who are complete strangers and I have to win them over.”

2. He worked with a charity that reaches out to sex workers

It’s not unusual for celebrities to be philanthropic, but Ed Sheeran really stands out for his dedication to sex workers. In 2012, he raised £40,000 for One25, a charity that assists sex workers, and said of the cause, “It’s good to show insight that these people are real people with real emotions and they deserve the same charity work as anyone else. There’s a lot more popular charities that get a lot of attention.”

1. He has a cute kitty

I know we all flock to dog men, but what about guys who prefer the calmer love of a cat? Ed Sheeran’s adopted feline is a sweetie, and he has a Twitter account with more than 100,000 followers. Grumpy Cat is so 2012.

What else do you love about Ed Sheeran? Share in the comments section.

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