ALI'S INSPIRATION ED SHEERAN HELPED ME MAKE MUSIC!

The global superstar encouraged his Wellington-based musician to put together an album

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Musician Ali Whitton felt a huge sense of pride as he presented Ed Sheeran with a copy of his own debut album in Auckland earlier this year, moments before the global superstar took to the stage.

‘The record, Between The Forest And The Stars, was the culmination of three years of hard work and while indie-folk artist Ali, 43, had poured his heart and soul into the end result, he knew it wouldn't have happened without the encouragement of his mate Ed.

“I was super-excited to give it to him and he was stoked with it,” smiles Wellington-based Ali, who travelled to meet Ed backstage along with his son Jack, seven.

“He had a record player on tour with him, and messaged me that night to say he'd listened to it with the family and he thought it was great.”

The pair became friends 19 years ago when they played the same gigging circuit in the UK, where New Zealand-born Ali had grown up.

At times, Ed would sleep on the floor of Ali's London flat and they travelled to Edinburgh together in a minibus to perform at the famous festival.

“I remember watching Ed outside one of the venues - he would've been 16 at the time - doing a rap battle with a guy about twice his age,” reveals Ali, who's also played solo to audiences in Paris.

“There were crowds everywhere and he was just rolling off rhymes. I remember thinking how incredibly talented he was but also how he worked really, really hard.”