If Ed Sheeran has his way, the acoustic video he released on July 12 with singer/songwriter Anne-Marie just might make you fall in love with her refreshing musical power. A fellow Brit, she's been opening for him on tour and is also on a solo tour in support of her April album Speak Your Mind. A rising EDM star, her dynamic energy pumps up Sheeran's crowds and inspired him to write "2002" for her. He urged her to release it right before the album. Give it a listen and you will know why.
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Anne-Marie's album peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 in May, but that might not be the end of it. On the Hot 100, she reached No. 9 last year with her feature on Clean Bandit's "Rockabye," which also features Sean Paul. In June of this year, her Marshmello collaboration "Friends" reached No. 11 and appears on Speak Your Mind.
A former amateur karate champ and theater performer, she keeps her background in the background while she goes for it with an energetic vocal drive few possess. Watching her bring out bits of Sheeran we haven't seen before is a joy in itself and a fun complement to his signature likability.
We'll see what kind of musical champ Anne-Marie will be — and she knows how to hit. She even tells Sheeran playfully, "I just want to hit you." Don't neglect to catch the sweaty back reference at the end of the video, which caused the internet to dub the duo "real BFFs."
