Ed Sheeran has finally revealed how he discovered the headline-making news of Taylor Swift’s engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce — and the story perfectly reflects his famously offline lifestyle. In a recent interview, the Grammy-winning singer opened up about the moment he learned of his longtime friend’s engagement and why he wasn’t among the first to receive the update directly.
A friendship built on years of connection — not constant communication
Sheeran and Swift have shared a close bond for over a decade, collaborating on music and supporting each other’s careers through various eras. Discussing their dynamic, Sheeran emphasized the ease and longevity of their friendship.
“I’m not self-conscious about my relationship with her,” he said, noting that despite their busy schedules, “We’ve been friends for very, very many years. We’re super close and we see each other when we see each other, and when we see each other, we lock back into where we left off.”
That effortless reconnection played a key role when the two finally met in person shortly after Taylor Swift’s engagement became public.
“My way of viewing it is like, me and Taylor are mates and I will see her,” Ed Sheeran shared. “And I saw her a week after that [the engagement] happened… and then I saw her and you talk in person.” Their reunion turned into what he described as “a four-hour catch-up,” focused entirely on “life stuff.”
Why Ed Sheeran found out with everyone else
Despite their close bond, Sheeran didn’t receive an early phone call or message from Swift about the engagement — and that’s because he’s famously unreachable through the usual means. Sheeran avoids social media and doesn’t regularly carry a phone, a personal rule he follows strictly.
“I kind of feel like being in touch with everyone, sort of you lose actual human connection,” he explained, reaffirming his preference for face-to-face communication over digital contact.
Because of this, Ed Sheeran discovered Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement the same way the rest of the world did: online. Swift herself humorously confirmed this during her October appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, saying,
“He doesn’t have a phone. This is one thing I love about him. It’s very eccentric. Love it.” She joked about the challenge of reaching Sheeran, explaining, “You have to email him or FaceTime him, and he has to find an iPad and they have to give it to him like he’s a child.”
She added that when the engagement news broke, she realized, “We forgot to call Ed!”
A moment that highlights their unique bond
Though he wasn’t looped in ahead of time, Ed Sheeran’s relaxed reaction and his emphasis on connecting in person underscore the strength of their friendship. For him, meaningful conversations happen face-to-face — and finding out online didn’t change the warmth of their eventual reunion.