Music

Ed Sheeran Says He's 'on the Mend' After Battling Shingles: 'Wouldn't Recommend It'

The singer is currently on break from his Loop Tour.

Ed Sheeran.
Earl Gibson III via Getty Images

Ed Sheeran has opened up to fans about his health, sharing that he hasn’t been in the best shape in recent weeks.

On Tuesday (April 28), the pop star took to Instagram to give a "life update," which included him revealing that he’s been battling "shingles for the last month."

"I've had shingles for the last month," he wrote, before adding that he "wouldn’t recommend it, but on the mend now."

According to the Mayo Clinic, shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. While people over 60 are more likely to contract shingles, the virus can affect younger people, especially those under stress.

Sheeran also debuted a shaved head in the IG post. "Yes I’ve shaved my hair," he wrote. "I wanted to shave it to signify a fresh start. A lot of new beginnings in my life atm. I Iove it, thinking of keeping it this way."

He also shared that he's been doing a lot of digging for vinyl recently. "Been buying random vinyl at record stores, coming across some gems," he wrote. "Allan Taylor - the traveller I found in a record store in Williamsburg, and I love it. Cant find it anywhere online, so feels like a special vinyl in the collection."

The 35-year-old is currently on a break from the Loop Tour, in support of his 2025 album, Play. The Australia and New Zealand leg of the trek ran from January to early March, and the South American leg is slated to begin in May. From there, Sheeran will head to the US and Canada, before returning to additional stops in South America.

Play, which arrived in September, peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The project’s lead single, "Azizam," arrived last April and went on to debut at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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