Ed Sheeran performing on his “Divide Tour” in support of his third studio album[1]

A Musical Genius

Edward Christopher Sheeran, more commonly known as “Ed” Sheeran, is truly changing the world of music as we know it. Proven to be a global musical talent, this witty English ginger is best-known for being able to attract an entire audience with nothing but his voice and his guitar. Born on February 17^th, 1991, this English singer/songwriter, guitarist, and record producer has been named “the biggest male pop star on the planet” by many, with his fame continuously growing every day. [2] In the light of his success, I am confident that Ed Sheeran will be included in future textbooks to educate individuals on how he changed the world of music. Here’s why.

Origins

The music video for “The A Team”, one of Ed’s most popular ballads. [3]

Ed Sheeran’s first debut solo single “The A Team” was released on April 22^nd, 2010. This folk ballad was written from Ed’s personal experience visiting a homeless shelter when he was just eighteen years old. After hearing many stories from the people at the shelter, he wrote the song in order to shed light on the dark subject. The lyrics have hidden phrases related to drug use and alcoholism, such as “burnt lungs, sour taste” and “goes mad for a couple grams”. The song uses power and emotion to tell a story, which intrigued millions of people after its release. It has been related to Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”, which was a popular hit from 1988 talking about alcoholism. After its release, “The A Team” was nominated for multiple Grammy awards. [4]

By September 9^th, 2011 Ed’s first album “Plus” was released, which sold 102, 350 copies the first week of its release. The album genre was a mix of pop, folk, pop/rock, and indie. What really began to shock people was how Ed Sheeran was becoming so successful, considering his acoustic-based music was in no way similar to the average mainstream songs currently being played on the radio. On top of that, the redhead was even voted “The Worst Dressed Man of the Year” by GQ magazine in 2012, with his classic t-shirt and hoodie look. [5] It became evident that his fame was not evolving due to creating similar music to other pop stars, or sticking to one genre, or dressing the way his label wanted him to. Ed Sheeran was proving to the world that his rise to fame would be by doing things his own way, and it has worked for him ever since.

Dancing to the Beat of His Own Drum

Ed Sheeran’s music video for “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You”. [6]

Although Ed Sheeran is well-known for playing soft pop/folk ballads, his music doesn’t stop there. He has found a way to attract wide audiences around the world with fast pop/rock songs as well. In January 2013, Ed spoke about his ever-changing musical sound.

“I’m going to keep doing what I want to do. I’m not going to necessarily make something because the critics on the last album said that it wasn’t what they thought it should be.” – Ed Sheeran [7]

His popular hit, “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You” was created with only guitar, piano, and vocal instrumentations. The song has a rougher, rock-sounding exterior than many of his other songs, which surprised listeners. The tempo is extremely fast throughout the song, creating a unique melody.  The lyrics state, “See, I’m true, my songs are where my heart is” and “I’m not you, now that would be disastrous/ Let me sing and do my thing and move to greener pastures”.

Clearly, a large part of Ed’s success is because he has chosen to create the type of music he wants to, taking risks along the way. People admire his sense of self and independence. A few years ago, I attended one of Ed’s concerts and was blown away. The concert was absolutely incredible, even though the stage only consisted of Ed and his guitar.

Behind the Scenes

Ed Sheeran performing “What Do I Know?” live on Red Nose Day, 2017. [8]

Ed Sheeran is also known for being one of the most down-to-earth celebrities on this planet. Some of his kindest acts have been donating his Grammy wardrobe to charity, performing at a fan’s wedding, singing for the military base in Afghanistan, and donating money to various non-profit organizations across the planet. [9] He continues to spread the message of love and positivity across the world every day, which has only made people admire him even more.

On his latest album “Divide”, Ed released a song called “What Do I Know?” which he performed for the Red Nose Day comic relief event in 2017. Red Nose Day was created to help people living in poverty throughout the UK and Africa. In the song, Ed states “And I pass on these things my family’s given to me/ Just love and understanding positivity” as well as “Love can change the world in a moment/ The revolution’s coming, it’s a minute away”. When asked why he put the song on the record, Ed was quick to answer.

“The song ‘What Do I Know’ was me looking at the world and being like ‘we aren’t doing too well are we’ and writing a song about it…My whole mantra in life is always ‘love is everything.’ I love, love. I love when people are happy.” – Ed Sheeran [10]

Clearly, Ed Sheeran is one-of-a-kind. His success will continue to grow as he develops as an artist, and I can’t wait to see where the rest of his musical journey takes him in the future. His story will definitely be heard through future textbooks, generations, and of course, his music, for eternity.

Citations

[1]. Gibson, Kelsie. “We Have to Ask: Is Ed Sheeran Irish or English?” POPSUGAR Tech. March 25, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Where-Ed-Sheeran-From-43331626.

[2]. Chesterton, George. “How Ed Sheeran Became the Biggest Male Popstar on the Planet.” GQ. September 11, 2017. Accessed August 09, 2018. https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/ed-sheeran-new-album-divide.

[3]. EdSheeran. “Ed Sheeran – The A Team [Official Video].” YouTube. April 22, 2010. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAWcs5H-qgQ.

[4]. “Ed Sheeran’s 10 Biggest Career Moments.” Much.com. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.much.com/ed-sheeran-10-biggest-career-moments/.

[5]. Lee, Josh. “How Ed Sheeran Went from Worst-dressed to GQ Cover Star.” GQ. September 11, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/ed-sheeran-worst-dressed.

[6]. EdSheeran. “Ed Sheeran – You Need Me, I Don’t Need You [Official Video].” YouTube. July 19, 2011. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXvzzTICvJs.

[7]. Katelbeaudoin. “9 Times Ed Sheeran Proved How Down to Earth He Really Is.” Mic. October 25, 2015. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://mic.com/articles/115924/9-times-ed-sheeran-actually-had-a-really-good-point#.7VHSf8KcN.

[8]. Rednoseday. “Ed Sheeran – What Do I Know? | Red Nose Day 2017.” YouTube. March 24, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1KzQHQMIx0.

[9]. “7 Acts of Kindness from Ed Sheeran.” FM104. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.fm104.ie/the-buzz/7-acts-of-kindness-from-ed-sheeran/.

[10]. “The Story Behind Ed Sheeran’s ‘What Do I Know’ Is Kind of Inspiring.” Just Jared Jr. Accessed August 10, 2018. http://www.justjaredjr.com/2017/03/25/the-story-behind-ed-sheerans-what-do-i-know-is-kind-of-inspiring/.

Hi everyone! My name is Kailey, and I am a second-year business student. My first blog post is about an African-American composer by the name of William Christopher Handy. I hope you enjoy!

Background, Contributions, and Challenges 

William Christopher Handy, also known as “W.C. Handy”, was one of the most influential composers to exist in the late 19th and early 20th century. Born on November 16th, 1973, Handy grew up in Florence, Alabama with his two minister parents.[1] He fell in love with music at a very young age, which he then pursued as a career for the rest of his life. Handy has played a big part in shaping blues music into what it has become today. As Handy once said, “Setting my mind on a musical instrument was like falling in love. All the world seemed bright and changed”.[2]

William Christopher Handy, playing the trumpet in the early 1900s.[3]

Growing up, Handy faced many hardships when beginning his musical journey. Although he had immense support from his maternal grandmother, his father held different views. With a strictly narrow mindset towards musicianship, Handy was only given the option to attend organ lessons, which his father agreed to pay for. [4] Soon enough, he branched out into other instruments. This included the cornet, which is a trumpet-like instrument that evolved during the early 1800s. [5] He also began to sing acapella. After attending post-secondary school in Alabama for quite some time, in 1892, he obtained his degree at the Teachers Agricultural and Mechanical College. He continued to chase his dream of becoming a musician after, even though he became a schoolteacher in the meantime.

Handy was heavily persuaded by the African-American musical folk traditions he had grown up around and experienced throughout his life. His first band was called Lauzette Quartet. Eventually, after they split, Handy had to go through some of the hardest times he had ever faced. This included becoming homeless and living in extremely harsh conditions. However, he continued to play music at any show he could, which eventually led him to become a hired musician in Henderson. His career took off in 1896 after he became a bandleader for W.A Mahara’s Minstrels. After touring for various years, he eventually decided to work as a music teacher instead, where he could start a life with his wife, Elizabeth Virginia Price.

In later years, Handy created the band Black Knights of Pythias and performed at Beale Street clubs regularly. His first hit, “Memphis Blues”, was released in 1912.[6] In order to protect the ownership of his music, Handy created the Handy Brothers Music Company (previously called the Pace & Handy Music Company) which is “the oldest family-owned and operated music publishing company”. [7] Many more popular blues songs, such a “Beale Street Blues” and “Aunt Hagar’s Blues” were soon created. His contributions also including editing and publishing various books throughout his career, including an autobiography. On March 28th, 1958, William Christopher Handy passed away due to pneumonia. [8] To this day, he is known as “The Father of Blues” by many, and his songs are still widely popular across the world.

Analyzing the Music

The first song I have chosen to analyze is Handy’s first hit, “Memphis Blues” (formerly named “Mr.Crump”). [9]Claimed to be a campaign song for mayoral candidate Edward Crump in Tennessee, this song was released as an instrumental piece. The song features a fast and cheery beat of what appears to be the sound of a trumpet (or cornet), trombone, clarinet, and flute (which is creating the melody). A tuba seems to be creating a bass line for the song. The song reminds me of fun circus or carnival music, which may contribute to why it became so well-liked.

Secondly, I have chosen to view “Yellow Dog Blues”, which was released in 1914.[10] This song has a classic blues music vibe, along with a hint of jazz. The overall melody of this song is fairly intricate, with low and high pitches ranging throughout the song. The song features what seems to be the sound of a trumpet (or cornet, once again), trombone, clarinet, and flute. To this day, there are many different renditions of this song. When I listen to this song, I picture a black and white movie soundtrack from the 1900s.

Lastly, I have chosen “Aunt Hagar’s Blues”, one of Handy’s most popular classics, to review.[11] This song truly shows how incredible Handy was as a composer, and how experienced he must have been in order to create such a phenomenal piece. The tempo is extremely fast. A flute, clarinet, trumpet, and tuba can be heard in the song. “Aunt Hagar’s Blues” became a wide-known success in the world of jazz music. To this day, it is often still played by many jazz musicians.

Citations

[1]. W.C. Handy. (2015, October 27). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/wc-handy-39700

[2]. ParallelSound. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.parallelsoundstudio.com/instruments

[3]. W.C. Handy: Father of the Blues. (2018, April 15). Retrieved from http://kentakepage.com/w-c-handy-father-of-the-blues/

[4]. W.C. Handy. (2015, October 27). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/wc-handy-39700

[5]. Britannica, T. E. (2007, September 24). Cornet. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/cornet

[6]. W.C. Handy. (2015, October 27). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/wc-handy-39700

[7]. Home. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.handybrothers.com/handy-brothers-music-company/

[8]. Looking Black On Today In 1873, WC Handy Know As The. (2015, December 22). Retrieved from https://blackthen.com/looking-black-on-today-in-1873-wc-handy-know-as-the-father-of-the-blues-was-born/

[9]. M. (2010, March 24). W.C. Handy – Memphis Blues. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGqBmlZR3dc

[10]. R. (2010, March 28). Handy’s Memphis Blues Band Yellow Dog Blues (1922). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CtWH5mQd7I

[11]. B. (2011, May 25). W.C. Handy’s Orchestra – Aunt Hagar’s Blues (1923). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddyIAJOmCzw

Introduction

After attending the Harry Styles concert in Vancouver, British Columbia on July 6^th, I decided it would be the perfect concert to review for this class. Harry Styles is one of the most well-known singer/songwriters in the world today, and I was very grateful to have had the chance to witness his talent up close and personal.

This is a picture I took of Harry singing “Sign of the Times” at the concert.

Background

Harry Edward Styles was born on February 1^st, 1994, in the town of Bromsgrove, England. Ever since he was young, he had a strong passion for music. During his time at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School in Chesire, Harry became the lead singer of a band small band called White Eskimo. In his spare time, he also worked at a bakery. At age 16, Harry auditioned for the television show, The X Factor. The program features hundreds of singers competing to win a record label. After being eliminated after a few rounds, he thought his career was over. However, Simon Cowell (fellow judge on The X Factor) came up with the brilliant idea of forming a boy band, which included Harry and four other boys. The band became widely known as “One Direction”, and after making it to third place in the competition, they were soon signed by Simon Cowell’s music label. [1] From 2011 to 2015, One Direction released 5 studio albums and went on 4 world tours, becoming one of the biggest boy bands to exist worldwide. After an immense amount of success, the band decided to split at the end of 2015 to focus on their solo careers. On May 12^th, 2017, Harry released his first self-titled solo album. The album portrayed an alternative rock/pop vibe and took off very quickly. Harry holds the record for “best-selling first week by a British male artist’s debut album on the Billboard 200”, as he sold 230, 000 copies within the release week.[2] His solo tour began on September 19^th, 2017, and ended on July 14^th, 2018.

Sign of the Times [3]

Harry’s first released single was named “Sign of the Times”. It can be described as a soft pop/rock ballad. The song starts off with slow piano melody in the intro. The pitches throughout the song tend to repeat, while the lyrics change throughout. Midway through the song, electric guitar and drums are introduced, picking up the tempo. The rhythm timing is fairly consistent throughout. The overall vibe of the song is mysterious and powerful. I was very moved by Harry’s vocal performance in the song, which is noticeably more mature than his previous music in One Direction. The vocals are extremely dynamic (almost haunting), especially at the climax of the song. The lyrics in the song could portray various meanings. It can be assumed the song may have to do with death, with the reference “Door on your way to the sky” and “Welcome to the final show”. It could also be about dealing with depression, as the lyrics state, “We don’t talk enough/We should open up/Before it’s all too much”. This song is an example of the slower, ballad-type of songs on his album. Overall, “Sign of the Times” is truly a work of art.

Kiwi [4]

Harry Styles’ third single, titled “Kiwi” has a much harder rock sound to it. The song features heavy drums and electric guitar throughout. The melody is extremely fast-paced, with the tempo increasing significantly at the chorus of the song. This track is known to be one of Harry’s most raunchy songs, specifically due to the rough tones in Harry’s voice and rowdy lyrics. The song describes a whirlwind of chaos going on between him and a girl, with lyrics such as “This girl is crazy/I think I’m losing it”.  Many people have compared “Kiwi” to Michael Jacksons’s “Billie Jean”. It has also been described to have a “distinct mid 90’s Britpop appeal”. [5] This uptempo song gives off a “glam rock” vibe, which has attracted a large audience of many ages. At concerts, Harry often ends the show with “Kiwi” as his final song. Overall, this track was a very unexpected release, but it has proved to be a huge success.

Venue/Audience

The concert itself took place in Vancouver, British Columbia at the Rogers Arena. This arena can hold from 18 900 to 19 700 people.[6] I can definitely say that size is much larger than any concert I have ever attended in the past. When I arrived at the concert, each audience member was given a red sticker to put over their flashlight when “Sign of the Times” played. When Harry was ready to play the song, he informed everyone in the audience to turn on their flashlights. Within seconds, the entire arena lit up with red and white lights, representing Canada. Later, during “Kiwi”, Harry held up a Canadian flag to the crowd. The audience was extremely lively, cheering and singing along to every song, new and old, that Harry performed. He also included covers from older bands, such as Fleetwood Mac and newer artists, like Ariana Grande. The audience seemed to love the variety of music in the concert, as did I.

This is a picture I took of the Rogers Arena during the show.

Reflection/Conclusion

Overall, this concert was truly incredible. I have been a huge Harry Styles fan ever since I was young, and it was absolutely amazing to hear him sing live. I appreciated the way he spoke to the crowd with appreciation towards Canada, as did the rest of the audience. He truly looked as if he was enjoying himself on stage while performing, which made the entire arena enjoy themselves, too. He connected with the audience with acoustic, slow songs, as well as fast, intense songs. I truly think his setlist attracted audiences of all ages. There is nothing I would change about the show! I would definitely attend another Harry Styles concert in a heartbeat.

Citations 

[1]. “Harry Styles.” Biography.com. July 19, 2017. Accessed July 19, 2018. http://www.biography.com/people/harry-styles-21173991.

[2]. Kreps, Daniel. “On the Charts: Harry Styles Breaks Record With Number One Debut.” Rolling Stone. June 25, 2018. Accessed July 19, 2018. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/on-the-charts-harry-styles-breaks-record-with-number-one-debut-196714/.

[3]. “Harry Styles – Sign of the Times.” YouTube. May 08, 2017. Accessed July 20, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN4ooNx77u0.

[4]. “Harry Styles – Kiwi.” YouTube. November 08, 2017. Accessed July 20, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wg3v-01yKQ.

[5]. Barlow, Eve. “Harry Styles’ Solo Album: A Track-by-Track Breakdown.” Variety, Variety, 12 May 2017, variety.com/2017/music/news/harry-styles-solo-album-track-breakdown-1202424544/.

[6]. “Rogers Arena Seat & Row Numbers Detailed Seating Chart.” Dubai Map – City Centre Detailed Street Travel Guide with Must-See Places, Best Hotels, Popular Shopping Malls, 2018, www.mapaplan.com/seating-plan/vancouver-rogers-arena-detailed-row-numbers-chart/rogers-arena-vancouver-seating-chart.htm.

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