Ed Sheeran Asks "What Would Rihanna Do?" When Writing Songs

BY Erika Marie 2.9K Views
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Ed Sheeran, Rihanna
The acclaimed singer admits that approach is how he came up with "Shape of You" and his Justin Bieber collab, "Love Yourself."

He's one of the most celebrated voices in the Pop sector but not many know of Ed Sheeran's admiration of Rihanna. The Savage x Fenty mogul is an international superstar whose reach knows no bounds, and during his recent chat with The Breakfast Club, Sheeran shared that when he first attempts to write music, he keeps Rihanna in mind.

"So, Rihanna is always the benchmark," said the singer. "Rihanna is always—when I go in, that's how 'Shape of You' was created, 'Love Yourself' with Justin Bieber was created."

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"Rihanna is such a, she's got such great taste in songs that a certain—you can't say what Rihanna's style is," he continued. "It's just good tunes. So, when you go in the studio to create a song, always we go, what would Rihanna do? [She's someone] I would always, always love to work with and write with or for."

Sheeran also admitted that he has submitted work to Rihanna and they were supposed to collaborate in the past, but it just never came to fruition. "It wasn't the right tune." Charlamagne questioned the award-winning singer about how it feels to submit to Rihanna and not get a response. "I've submitted to Beyoncé before and she hadn't picked any, but then I did 'Perfect' and she wanted to sing on it."

"I know people rate me, but sometimes the songs aren't the right songs." Watch Ed Sheeran explain Rihanna's style influencing how he approaches writing music below.



About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.