MIX MASTER
Despite Ed Sheeran’s third album being symbolically titled ÷, as in ‘divide’, the world seems united by an affection for the guy. ÷ dominated 2017, outselling and out-streaming all-comers. As if that wasn’t enough, the album also spawned five major hit singles. The first four, including the monster hit Shape Of You, were all released in the first few months of 2017. Just when it looked like Sheeran might give everyone else a chance, he released the album’s fifth single, Perfect. Another huge hit that reached No. 1 in dozens of countries. Not quite done, the British singer/ guitarist released two additional versions of Perfect at the end of 2017. One was an acoustic duet with Beyoncé, the other an orchestral duet with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
It seems the world truly cannot get enough of Sheeran. The Beyoncé duet version of Perfect in particular was very successful, topping the charts in many countries. The feat was impressive given it was — unusually for a hit song — stripped down to only organ, a few acoustic guitars, and Sheeran and Beyoncé’s vocals.
The British singer also went ever so slightly off script in his choice of mix engineer, too. These days, most songs at the pointy end of the hit parades are mixed by a handful of star mixers. It just happens that every so often some mixers — through a combination of label connections, ready-made hits and sheer talent — rise to the top. In the US, Serban Ghenea and Manny Marroquin reign in the charts, while British artists tend to engage compatriots Tom Elmhirst (Adele) and ‘Spike’ Stent. Stent actually mixed the whole of ÷ and the Bocelli version of Perfect. But for the Beyoncé treatment, Sheeran mixed it up a bit and went with Tony Maserati.
It’s not to says Maserati isn’t a star mixer — his clientele
