Ed Sheeran has made it clear that he now stays away from any drugs. To do so would be a sin for him after the death of his best friend Jamal Edwards. The DJ died in February 2022 at the age of just 31 from cardiac arrhythmia as a result of increased cocaine consumption.
“I would never, ever, ever touch anything again because that’s how Jamal died,” Sheeran told ROLLING STONE in an exclusive interview.
The 32-year-old revealed he did use a variety of substances during his “party boy” phase in his 20s, although he didn’t want to name them because of his children.
“I remember being at a festival and thinking, ‘Well, if all my friends are doing this, it can’t be that bad,'” he recalled. “And then I just gave it a try. And then it becomes a habit that you do once a week and then once a day and then twice a day and then no booze.”
Twists of fate led Ed Sheeran into a depression
February 2022 became something of a fateful month for the “Shape Of You” singer. In addition to the loss of his companion, Sheeran also struggled with anxiety over his wife, Cherry Seaborn, being diagnosed with a tumor while she was six months pregnant. Additionally, a copyright lawsuit was heard in court over his biggest hit.
All these depressing events ensured that the 32-year-old developed serious depression and therefore sought therapeutic help. “I think it’s really helpful to be able to talk to someone and just vent without feeling guilty about it,” he told ROLLING STONE. “Obviously I’ve lived a very privileged life. My friends would look at me and say, ‘It’s not that bad’.”
In addition to giving up drugs completely, Sheeran is now cutting down on alcohol. He currently only consumes wine and beer in moderation, but in the difficult days he often tried to catch his sorrow with alcohol. His wife then warned him not to risk someone else having to drive her to the clinic if her waters ruptured and Sheeran was drunk at the moment.
“And that’s when it clicked for me,” says the singer. “I said, ‘No, actually, I really don’t want that.’ And I never want to be woozy with my child in my hands. Never, never.”
Basically, like many Britons, he loves beer and wine. “I don’t know any rock stars who are sober all the time, and I didn’t want to be either.” But appropriate consumption is now the solution.
Sheeran processed all the dramatic events with his music. He has already announced the forthcoming record “Subtract” as his most private to date. The first concert dates for 2023 have already been set.
Read the whole story of Ed Sheeran exclusively at ROLLING STONE
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