Ed Sheeran has packed his bags and revealed he’s leaving the UK for the United States, a decision that comes just weeks after he stirred up controversy by saying he didn’t “identify culturally” as English.
The 34-year-old singer, one of the world’s biggest music stars, admitted in a podcast interview that he and his family would be settling in America for the foreseeable future while he embarks on his next tour. Though Sheeran has never been tied to one place for long—his career keeps him traveling constantly—this marks a much bigger step than just another stop on the road.
“I’m just about to move to America,” he confessed on the 2 Johnnies podcast. “I feel like I might be the only person moving there. I’m going on tour for a while, and with a family, I can’t just dip in and out. We’re going and settling there.”
A New Chapter in the States
While he didn’t reveal the exact location, speculation is rife. Earlier this year, Sheeran admitted he was considering Nashville, the beating heart of country music. He has long expressed admiration for the genre and has hinted that one day he might reinvent himself as a country artist. “Nashville is my favourite city in the States,” he once said. “It’s always been my end goal to move there and make that transition.”
It wouldn’t be the first time the singer has shaken up his career. But this time, the move feels more permanent. His young daughters, Lyra, five, and Jupiter, three, will be joining him with his wife Cherry Seaborn, swapping their Suffolk countryside home—dubbed “Sheeranville”—for American soil. And with a £9 million New York home already under his belt, alongside an estimated £70 million property empire, Sheeran has no shortage of options.
Backlash Over His Cultural Identity
But the move comes at a sensitive time. Just two months ago, Sheeran sparked outrage after saying he “identifies culturally as Irish” despite being born and raised in England.
The star explained that his father John, originally from Belfast, shaped much of his childhood. Family holidays were spent in Ireland, where Sheeran absorbed traditional music and his earliest influences. “I class my culture as Irish,” he told Louis Theroux on his podcast. “That’s what I grew up with. My dad has seven brothers and sisters, and all our holidays were spent there. My first musical experiences were in Ireland.”
He insisted that heritage and upbringing mattered more than place of birth. “Just because I was born in Britain doesn’t mean I have to be just British,” he said. “Culture is about how you’re raised and what you lean into.”
Fans Divided
His words, however, didn’t sit well with everyone. Some fans on social media accused him of “pretending,” pointing out that he has lived most of his life in Suffolk. “Identifies just means to pretend,” one wrote. Another joked, “Does Ed Sheeran hold eligibility to start for the Irish national football team?”
Others were less amused, branding his hit “Galway Girl” as full of Irish clichés and even suggesting his tour posters were ready “for the top of the bonfire.”
Yet many defended him, noting that cultural identity isn’t always simple. “His dad is Irish, so he’s perfectly entitled to say that,” argued one supporter. Another said, “He has roots. Nothing wrong with identifying with your heritage. He looks like us too.”
A Star Caught Between Worlds
Sheeran’s dual identity has long been part of his story. To his fans in Ireland, he is a beloved figure, and he has often called the country his “second home.” But in England, where he first found fame busking on the streets of London, his comments struck a nerve, reigniting old debates about national pride, belonging, and identity.
And now, with his decision to leave Britain entirely, critics are questioning his loyalties once again. Is he turning his back on the country that made him a star? Or is he simply following his heart and his music?
What Comes Next
For Sheeran, the move could mark the start of a new era. Country music has a loyal fan base in America, and his global fame would give him an advantage few British artists have managed to achieve. But whether fans at home will forgive him for his cultural comments—and for leaving the UK behind—remains to be seen.
As one fan quipped on social media, “They can have him.” Another, more forgiving, wrote, “If he feels Irish, let him. If he wants to live in the US, let him. He’s earned it.”
Love him or loathe him, Ed Sheeran has never been afraid to stir the pot. And as he heads across the Atlantic with his family in tow, it seems he’s ready to start a whole new chapter—one that could see him swap Suffolk’s quiet lanes for Nashville’s neon lights.
