Kansas City, Mo. (April 14, 2014) – Ed Sheeran has announced plans for his first-ever headlining arena tour of North America.  The cross-country trek visits T-Mobile Center in Kansas City on Sept. 2 and is the 3x-GRAMMY Award®-nominated artist’s first stateside tour to support his forthcoming second album, “x,” (pronounced ‘multiply’) slated to arrive June 23.  

“x” is heralded by the exhilarating lead single “Sing,” which has catapulted to the top 3 on the iTunes Singles chart.  Produced and co-written by multiple GRAMMY Award®-winner Pharrell Williams, “Sing” is already lighting up radio stations across the country, becoming the most added song at Top 40/CHR, Adult, and Rhythmic/CHR formats.  This past weekend, Sheeran delivered electrifying performances of “Sing” and album track “Don’t” on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live”.  “Sing” is streaming now at Sheeran’s official YouTube page where it has amassed over 2 million views in just one week.

After becoming available for pre-order last week, “x” rocketed to the #1 spot on the iTunes Overall Album chart in a matter of hours.  “x” is the follow-up to Sheeran’s breakthrough debut album “+” and finds the British singer-songwriter collaborating with a stellar list of producers, including multiple GRAMMY Award®-winners Rick Rubin and Jeff Bhasker, multiple GRAMMY Award®-nominee Benny Blanco, Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid, and BRIT-Award nominee and “+” collaborator Jake Gosling. 

Blending soulful vocals with organic folk introspection and irresistible hip-hop hooks, Ed Sheeran is a genuine global phenomenon. The 23-year old British singer/songwriter’s masterful debut album, “+,” entered the UK Albums Chart at #1 with the highest opening sales figures for a debut male solo artist ever and is now certified 6x-platinum. Fueled by international hit singles like “The A Team” and “Lego House,” “+” has enjoyed multi-platinum, platinum, and gold sales in nine countries around the world.

Here in the US, “The A-Team,” proved a blockbuster, earning 2x-platinum certification from the RIAA as well as a GRAMMY® Award nomination as “Song Of The Year.”  Sheeran also made a record-breaking chart debut with the stateside release of “+,” which entered the SoundScan/Billboard 200 at #5, becoming the highest debut for a U.K. solo artist's first full-length album, since 2009.  Along with his three GRAMMY® nods – including the prestigious “Best New Artist” – Sheeran has accrued an array of distinguished international honors, spanning two BRIT Awards (“Best Male Artist,” “Best Breakthrough Artist”) and the 2012 Ivor Novello Award for “Best Song Musically and Lyrically.”

Long acclaimed as a captivating and creative live performer, Sheeran spent much of the past two years traversing North America on back-to-back sold-out headline tours, the latter of which including a stop at the renowned Radio City Music Hall which sold out in a matter of minutes.  Following a main support role on Taylor Swift’s massively successful “RED Tour,” Sheeran returned to New York City for a trio of sold-out headline shows at the legendary Madison Square Garden to close out his incredible 2013.

Sheeran’s honest songwriting and incredible live show has also connected with millions through the small screen with countless high profile television appearances including the 55th Annual GRAMMY® Awards (performing “The A Team” accompanied by Sir Elton John), the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, NBC’s The Voice (as one of Team Christina’s mentors) and Today (where he pulled in one of last summer’s largest audiences into NYC’s Rockefeller Plaza for the show’s annual outdoor concert series), and, most recently, among the star-studded lineup on CBS’ special “The Beatles:  The Night That Changed America – A GRAMMY® Salute.”

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