Ed Sheeran’s Songs Inspired by Rihanna: A Revealing Insight

Behind the Music: Ed Sheeran’s Rihanna-Inspired Hits

​Ed Sheeran recently revealed that two of his most successful songs, “Shape of You” and Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself,” were originally written with Rihanna in mind. During a March 26 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Sheeran explained that he often writes songs intending to pitch them to Rihanna, praising her exceptional taste in music.

“Shape of You,” released in 2017, was initially conceived for Rihanna. However, as Sheeran developed the lyrics, he realized certain references, like “putting Van the Man on the jukebox,” might not align with her style. Consequently, he decided to keep the song for himself, and it went on to achieve massive success, amassing over 4.2 billion streams on Spotify.

Similarly, “Love Yourself,” co-written by Sheeran and recorded by Justin Bieber in 2015, was also intended for Rihanna. Sheeran noted that many songwriters aim to craft songs suitable for her, often producing some of their best work in the process.