Edward Christopher Sheeran was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk. He began writing songs at the age of 11 and signed with Asylum Records in 2011. His debut album, + ("Plus"), was released in September 2011 and topped the UK Albums Chart. In 2012, he won the Brit Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. His third album, รท ("Divide"), was the best-selling album worldwide of 2017. He has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best selling music artists.