When Political Reality Collides With Ed Sheeran

Ms. Gay, a contributing Opinion writer, is an author.

Ed Sheeran is one of the most popular musicians in the world. He sells millions upon millions of albums, has among his peers some of the most streamed music, and makes reliable hits that appeal to almost everyone. Sonically, he often positions himself as a citizen of the world, a musical explorer. There are Persian influences in “Azizam,” which translates as “my beloved.” “Sapphire” features Punjabi beats and is included on his studio album “Play” that features several Indian musicians.

What Mr. Sheeran wants, it seems, is to make his music and perform around the world, earning incredible amounts of money, in peace. While doing so, he appears to also want to blithely........

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