It's hard to believe that this time last year Ed Sheeran had not yet broken into the mainstream. A seasoned performer who had already played hundreds of gigs before he was even signed, Ed is no stranger to the stage, and his charismatic sets have earned him a legion of dedicated followers.

2011 saw him add a number 1 album and a hat trick of top 5 hits to his musical CV, including The A Team, the biggest selling and highest charting debut single of last year. The 20 year old was backed early by the BBC, with 1Xtra being the first national station to playlist him (with the street track Radio) as well tipping him as a 'Hot 4 2011'.

In April he appeared on Jools Holland followed by a slot on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury. 2012 is set to be an equally busy year for Ed; as well as touring the UK and internationally, he will make a landmark appearance at Hackney 2012, marking the one year anniversary of his full commercial breakthrough.

• Read more about Ed Sheeran on BBC Music

• Give Me Love
• Drunk
• Lego House
• The A-Team
• You Need Me, I Don't Need You

• Ed Sheeran - Radio 1's Hackney Weekend review

  http://www.virtualfestivals.com/latest/features/12974

  It looks like he'll be a festival mainstay for years to come.