Ed Sheeran Spills the Tea on Lip-Syncing in the Music Biz

In a recent Beta Squad YouTube video, Ed Sheeran found himself in the middle of a guessing game and a surprising conversation about lip-syncing in the music industry. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter was challenged to pick out the real vocalist from a group of six contestants. But what really grabbed attention wasn’t just the game; it was Sheeran’s honesty about what it means to be a “professional” singer.

During the video, one contestant mentioned she’d consider lip-syncing if her voice wasn’t in top form. Sheeran’s reaction was blunt: “I don’t know if a professional singer would admit to miming.”

That sparked a follow-up from a Beta Squad member, who asked: “I thought a lot of professional artists do that though?”

To which Sheeran replied, “They don’t admit to it though.”

When asked if he’s ever lip-synced himself, Sheeran made it clear:

“I haven’t and can’t get away with it because it’s me with a loop pedal and a guitar.”

In other words, what you hear is what you get. He added that even when his voice isn’t at its best, he won’t cancel a show: “I’d always push through, even if it was, like, slightly raspy.”

And just to clarify his stance, Sheeran doubled down: “I feel like if you are a professional singer, even if you do mime because there are professional singers that mime, but they would never admit that they mime.”

Sheeran is currently on the European leg of his +−=÷× Tour, with his next stop on August 7 in Antwerp, Belgium. But he’s not just performing, he’s also preparing to release his eighth album, titled Play, on September 12. The album will include singles like “Azizam,” “Old Phone,” “Sapphire,” and “A Little More,” which drops the same day as his next concert.

So whether you agree with Sheeran or not, one thing’s clear: this guy is definitely singing his heart out, no miming required.