SONGWRITER: Gives You Want You Want… If What You Want Is Ed Sheeran

I first saw Ed Sheeran perform in January 2013 in Atlanta. Back then, he had one album, was opening for Taylor Swift on the Red Tour, and was playing in a House of Blues-type venue rather than a huge stadium. Me and my friend expected to see this super cool English guy play his acoustic guitar for some kids our age and have an intimate, chill concert experience. Well, we were only partially right. We saw the cool English guy and his guitar, and he put on an unforgettable show.

However, there were only some people our age and they weren’t so chill. There were an awful lot of 13-year-olds screaming “I’m up and coming like I’m f*cking on an elevator!” We waited outside the venue for nearly five hours because the line had started to form way before we got there. It was unexpected, and his popularity in The States seemed to come out of nowhere.

From Sleeping on his Cousin’s Couch to Performing for Thousands

But it did foreshadow what lay ahead for Sheeran and for me as an early-ish fan. I would never again have an intimate, small venue, acoustic experience and cry during “Small Bump.” As for Sheeran, he would be playing for much bigger crowds in the very near future because he was, in fact, up and coming (but, like, not in an elevator).

So here we are, five and a half years later, and I’m reviewing the documentary Songwriter, which is a really fun, home-movie-style film about the ginger popstar everyone knows. In particular, it’s a documentation of the making of Sheeran’s latest album “Divide”. I feel like many of us imagine Ed Sheeran writing these fantastic love songs in some field or park in Northern England while he’s wearing his red hoodie, possibly hungover on Jameson. What Songwriter shows us is that it’s so much more than that, and there was a whole lot of effort by a ton of people to make his most recent album Divide as awesome as it is.

Songwriter starts with Sheeran writing a song with his producer Benny Blanco on a tour bus. It’s a very familiar song, and soon we realize it’s “Love Yourself” which we know to be performed by Justin Bieber. And even in this short scene, you get an exciting visualization of the birth of a catchy pop song. It’s especially cool to see an artist in the process of writing a hit song for another artist. This scene sets the tone for the entire documentary.

The film is directed by Murray Cummings who happens to be Ed Sheeran’s cousin. Their close relationship is apparent on screen, even if it’s mostly Sheeran you see. The camera movement is natural and easy, like you’re right there in the studio with them (or in this case, in a big house having a “cuppa” with friends). According to the movie, Cummings has been filming Sheeran since 2008. With a relationship like that, it would be hard to not have a very personal documentary as the end result.

A Collaborative Effort

Going back to that first concert I saw Ed Sheeran, he also had quite memorable opening acts. During that concert, I also saw Foy Vance for the first time, and I’ll never forget his beautiful songs or his attention-demanding mustache. Sheeran is obviously just as inspired by Vance’s songs and mustache because he has kept him around since then. Much of the songwriting we see in the movie includes collaborations with Vance along with other artists, songwriters, and producers. It sounds hectic, but it really turns out to be a team effort where everyone really encourages each other.

What’s cool about the movie is that you see this side of making a pop album where you see the genuine hard work of a talented artist. Many of the songs were inspired by family, and it was an especially sweet moment watching the making of “Nancy Mulligan” which is a song about how his grandparents fell in love. Can’t get much cuter – or more Ed Sheeran – than that.

The Finished Product: Songwriter

So, we see all the hard work Ed Sheeran and his friends put into making “Divide”, and it all leads to the countdown of the album release. Everyone is excited, and Sheeran even says in Songwriter that he believes this may be the peak of his songwriting. What’s the result? Speaking from the future (you know, the future from when the album was released), we all know it was a massive hit. Not bad, Ed. The question we’re left with is… is this the peak of Ed’s writing? Of his career? Is it all downhill from here? Personally, I think the best is yet to come.

Here’s the verdict on this film: if you’re a fan of Ed Sheeran, you will love this documentary of the process of his songwriting, with a little bit of a background on the man behind the guitar and mic. If you like music docs, this movie is fun and lighthearted. If you don’t like Ed, pop music, or slightly cheesy documentaries, you may want to skip out on it.

What do you think? Is Divide the best music we’re ever going to get from Ed Sheeran? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Songwriter was released in the US on August 17, 2018. For all international release dates, see here.