Monday, January 19, 2015 12:50pm ET by  
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Ed Sheeran reveals Damien Rice inspiration: 'He made all the difference'

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is due to perform live at Whelan's in Dublin, Ireland on January 24 as part of VH1's newly rebooted 'Storytellers' series, and he has opened up about the venue and what it means to him. 

Speaking about choosing Whelan's, the sensation confessed that he watched Damien Rice perform there when he was a youngster and the musician took the time to chat to him, which was incredibly inspiring: 

"It's amazing to come back to perform at a place that means so much to me personally. I was only about 11 or 12 years old when I saw Damien play at Whelan's, and that night literally changed my life. The time he spent talking with me after the show made all the difference. It inspired me in a way that I only hope to do for someone else."

Sheeran, meanwhile, is the bookies' favourite to beat Sam Smith at the 2015 BRIT Awards in the British Male Solo Artist category. He will also go head-to-head with the likes of Damon Albarn, Paolo Nutini, and George Ezra for the title. 

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Watch Sheeran singing acoustically below: