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06.07.12 MusicWeek 11
coming along and not being too big for their boots, wanting to conquer the world and willing to work for it and that’s great.” However, as genuinely thrilled as he is about all
these acts’ US endeavours, his biggest excitement is naturally reserved for Ed Sheeran, who is on the books of Elton’s Rocket Music Entertainment Group and who got off to a record-breaking start Stateside at the end of last month when his album + debuted at five on the Billboard 200 chart. That made it the best start of all time by a brand new UK male solo artist on the countdown. “What I’d say about Ed is that in the last year or
so he was always great and he is so confident and so assured of himself and he’s loving every single moment,” he enthuses. “I say to artists if you don’t enjoy your success then you’re in the wrong business. You work so hard for it and when you do get to be successful and you do see the rewards it’s fantastic. I saw him at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and he was very happy with everything.
ABOVE The invasion’s front line: the latest Brit exports to the US include (clockwise form left) Taio Cruz, Calvin Harris, Ed Sheeran, Emeli Sandé, Jessie J, Tinie Tempha and Ellie Goulding
“He works bloody hard and he doesn’t complain.
He’s a really kind of perfect artist to manage and he’s already said ‘Listen, I’ve got the next album finished.’ He’s been writing with Taylor Swift. He’s going to be very big in America and so he should be.” Elton’s own incredible US success owed much to
LEFT
American dream: Elton John broke America in the early Seventies – ‘I was a kid in a candy store’ – and sees the same work ethic in Ed Sheeran
him spending month after month on the road undertaking a relentless round of promotion across this colossal country and it seems like Sheeran is now displaying the same kind of work ethic. And that includes participating in all those meets and greets, which are part and parcel of making it in the States, but which some UK acts are just not willing to entertain. “He doesn’t mind doing that,” says Elton. “I
never minded doing it. I was in America for God’s sake. I was a kid in the candy store and he feels the same way and that’s very refreshing with an artist. Don’t moan and groan. Don’t piss the record company off. Don’t get too big for your boots. Just
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