If you’ve ever been delighted (or dejected) by the existence of British indie popper Ed Sheeran, it turns out that it’s all Jamie Foxx’s fault. Foxx took partial credit/blame (delete as appropriate) for Sheeran’s rise to prominence on an episode of The Graham Norton Show recently, revealing that the “Thinking Out Loud” singer once crashed on his couch for several weeks.
This was back when Foxx had a regular radio show in Los Angeles, and would frequently take an interest in up-and-coming talent. According to the Norton interview, that not only meant putting a roof over Sheeran’s head, but also getting him stage time, in the form of an open-mic slot at a show in front of “800 black people.” (Sheeran and his ukulele apparently brought the house down.)