Ed Sheeran

At barely 21, Halifax, England-born Ed Sheeran has found a solid American teenage fan base for his crooning — a heartthrob positioning that works well for the singer’s coy style. Existing somewhere between the gentle intonation of Damien Rice and the soulful acoustic exploits of James Morrison, Sheeran still has a sound all his own, breaking up surefire love songs with an unbeatable flow and turn of phrase. Seeing huge success in his home country before taking his music to an international stage, Sheeran gained momentum as a supporting act for a portion of Snow Patrol’s 2012 tour. He’ll spend some of 2013 on the road with Taylor Swift — he shared vocal duties on “Everything Has Changed” — but the singer can definitely hold his own in the arena setting. His seemingly unavoidable single, “The A Team,” is up for a Grammy this year, and he’s coming through Denver on a massive headlining tour.