Ed Sheeran Inspires Students to Love Music While Teaching a Goofy Toothbrushing Song on Celebrity Substitute
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The singer-songwriter guided a group of Brooklyn students through a lesson on how to create music using a looper pedal.
Ed Sheeran Heads Back to the Classroom to Teach Music — and a Song About Brushing Teeth!
Ed Sheeran is going back to school!
The 34-year-old “Sapphire” singer took on the role of substitute music teacher at a Brooklyn public school for a new episode of the web series Celebrity Substitute, which premiered on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
In the episode, Sheeran filled in as the class’s “Mr. Ed,” teaching a group of elementary students how to write and perform their own tune using a looper pedal — a piece of gear he frequently uses during his concerts. The day’s lesson ultimately led to a playful, original song all about brushing your teeth.
Before class began, Sheeran joked with host Julian Shapiro-Barnum, saying the session could “either go really well and you’ll be like, ‘That was great,’ or it’ll totally flop and get a lot of clicks.”
Music teachers Mr. Chung and Mr. Hampton described his lesson plan as “ambitious,” since it included rhythm exercises, exploring personal sound, and even rehearsing a mini-show before performing live for their teachers.
Sheeran started the day by performing an acoustic version of his 2014 hit “Photograph,” then demonstrated how to layer sounds on a loop machine. Students eagerly joined in — some sang, some played instruments like the saxophone, and others just made fun, quirky noises.
Their collaboration eventually turned into a full performance, with Sheeran laying down a guitar loop while one student sang, “I woke up one day, I brushed my teeth.” The pop star joined in with a grin, adding, “I’m brushing my teeth, I’m brushing my teeth, oh yeah!”
By the end of the class, Sheeran received an A on his “teacher report card.”
“I was ready to be critical,” joked Mr. Chung, “but you got my heart. You’re a musician — you understand. Everyone’s having fun, and that’s what music is supposed to be.”
The episode also brought real benefits to the school: Amazon cleared the teachers’ Amazon Classroom Lists, which help educators get supplies and resources for their students.
Outside the classroom, Sheeran is a proud dad to daughters Lyra, 5, and Jupiter, 3, with wife Cherry Seaborn — so he’s well-versed in keeping kids entertained.
The Grammy winner recently released his new album Play on Sept. 12 and is gearing up for his Loop Tour, set to kick off in December and run through November 2026.
“My girls have been on tour with me since the start of Mathematics,” he said in a recent episode of Mythical Kitchen’s Last Meals. “Life just works better when we’re together.”
He added that while he doesn’t feel obligated to keep touring, he simply “really enjoys” what he does.