'Stargazing' Singer Myles Smith 'Still Fangirled' Over Friend Ed Sheeran at TIME100 Gala

TIME100 honoree Myles Smith still gets the shivers when he sees Ed Sheeran.

The "Stargazing" singer, 26, confessed that he still "fangirls" over the Grammy award-winning artist when speaking exclusively to OK! about an upcoming White Claw Sessions performance.

"Ed and I are friends, but I still fangirl over him every time I see him," he gushed.

The British buddies teamed up recently to write a letter to the government, calling for $320 million in funding for student music education.

"Working on those plans both domestically and globally is something super important to me. Over the next few years, as my platform grows, [I'm thinking,] 'What can I be doing to make tangible changes to the industry?'" he said.

The letter includes signatures from industry icons Harry Styles, Coldplay, Elton John, Annie Lennox and more.

Smith also expressed how Hozier was "really awesome" to meet, and it was "absurd" having Scarlett Johansson sit in front of him at the TIME100 Gala.

"Simone Biles and Serena Williams were [also] right in front of me, which was triply absurd ... it was just outrageous," he added.

The singer, who shot to fame for his hit "Stargazing," still feels like an impostor when surrounded by people "more famous than [him]." However, being able to perform at the event and have celebrities recognize his work made his 15-year music journey feel worth it.

"Everyone came and said hi ... they just learned about the music or were already fans, which was wild to me," he said. "And to see so many athletes and Nobel Prize winners, actors and singers sing the words to my song was pretty surreal."

Off stage, Smith wants to use his platform to provide a safe space for rising artists. He is following in the footsteps of celebs like Chappell Roan, who called out industry executives at the 2025 Grammys for "profiting millions of dollars off of artists" and not "offer[ing] a liveable wage and healthcare."

Smith grew up in a working-class background where "having access to instruments was something that was non-existent." Picking up his first guitar was a mere "lottery chance" when he was chosen as one of 500 people to receive an instrument through government funding.

"There's a huge gap between starting as an artist and becoming an artist full time, but then an even bigger gap between a kid having a dream, an interest or intrigue, and then even being able to pick up an instrument in the first place," he expressed.

Smith fought to make a name for himself since as early as age 10. He sang in pubs for approximately 10 years, where people called him "s---."

Now, he's partnering with White Claw Sessions to perform in their multi-city concert series supporting breakthrough artists. Smith will headline a performance in Austin, Texas, on October 9, but the tour will pop up in Chicago, Miami and Las Vegas as summer festival season kicks off.

Following his recent BRIT Rising Star Award win, the British star was "looking for so many opportunities and ways that [he] could make tangible changes to help with creating a scene and space for new artists to come through."

"When [White Claw] approached me with the opportunity, I was so up for it," he exclaimed. "As for the sessions themselves, I love performing. It's my bread and butter ... being able to go back to Austin after ACL [Austin City Limits Music Festival] last year and have the time of our lives is going to be great."

Smith remembers having his first White Claw on a boat in Nashville after finding one in the cooler when moving to the United States. Since then, the Black Cherry and Surge Cranberry cans have become his favorite drinks.