Elton John urged Ed Sheeran to take a career break after becoming sick of seeing the pop star’s face following the huge success of his 2014 album X.
Sir Elton has served as a mentor to Sheeran ever since he signed his fellow Brit to his management firm Rocket Music earlier on in his career, and while he’s proud of the 26-year-old’s achievements so far, Elton feared Ed had started to become too overexposed – so he advised him to enjoy a lengthy getaway.
“He was so omnipresent I said, ‘Ed, even I’m sick of you. Go away.’ And he did,” Elton told Rolling Stone magazine of his protege’s 2016 break from the limelight. “He just went to the Far East with his girlfriend, had a great time, put on a lot of weight, ate food and came back.”
Elton John admits he had warned Sheeran about piling on the pounds during his downtime, but he was pleasantly surprised at how easily Ed was able to get back into shape.
“One thing I said to him when he went, I said, ‘Don’t put on weight’, because he’s very prone to put on weight like I am,” Elton recalled. “And he came back heavy, but he lost it all for the (new) album. He just went away and had a great time.”
“It was the most brilliant thing he could have done, because it refreshes your soul – not that I ever did it,” he confessed. “I’m not one for going to the Far East and walking around with a backpack on; I just find that not my cup of tea. I’m too much involved with other things.”
Elton, who turned 70 last weekend (March 25), went on to explain why he has taken Ed under his wing.
“He reminds me of me when I first started out; his enthusiasm and his love (of music),” the legendary artist shared. “He’s always doing something, whether he’s writing his own stuff or he’s writing with other people.”
“This is why I wanted to start a management company, to say to these kids, ‘I’ve been here. You need to do this. I can help you because I am who I am,’ and he’s been forever grateful,” Elton added. “You know, I love him to death.”
The admiration between the two singers is mutual – Sheeran, who made his chart comeback earlier this year with songs from his hit new album Divide, recently said of his bond with Elton: “There are lots of pinch-me moments in my career, and I think the way you don’t turn yourself insane is to just roll with them and don’t think about them too much,” he explained. “But, obviously, it’s weird being able to call Elton a friend.”
