Johnny McDaid (born 24 July 1976) is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He is a member of Snow Patrol and a former member of Vega4. McDaid has written songs with artists including Westlife, Pink and Robbie Williams. He is a frequent collaborator with singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and co-wrote the pop song "Shape of You".
Early life Johnny McDaid was born on 24 July 1976 in Dublin, Ireland and raised in Derry, Northern Ireland. He is one of seven children of John and Pauline McDaid, He attended St Brigid's Primary School, Carnhill, and St Columb's College.
Musical career McDaid was the singer and songwriter of the band Vega4, whose second album You and Others was produced by Jacknife Lee. Its first single, "Life Is Beautiful", was featured on the US Contemporary Radio Charts Top 40 for 12 weeks in 2007. In 2009, McDaid was the first person to sign to Snow Patrol's publishing company, Polar Patrol Publishing.
McDaid went on to play guitar and piano and sing backing vocals in the alternative rock band Snow Patrol. While on tour with Snow Patrol, McDaid was developing his style of writing and working with artists in a variety of genres, scoring a hit with Example's "Say Nothing" which reached number 2 in the UK singles chart in 2012.
In January 2013, McDaid and Gary Lightbody performed at the "Sons & Daughters" concert in Derry, McDaid's hometown, to mark the opening of the city's UK City of Culture year. In early 2013, McDaid moved to Nashville, Tennessee with singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran to work with him on his second album. Sheeran and McDaid are close friends and later moved to Los Angeles together to continue working on Sheeran's second record. Sheeran's X album was released in June 2014 with McDaid having co-written seven of the songs, including "Photograph", which won a BMI Pop Award, and hit song "Bloodstream", which was nominated for Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 57th Grammy Awards, McDaid's first Grammy nomination. While the album did not win the Grammy, it did go on to with the 2015 BRIT Award for Album of the Year.
While spending much of 2016 working with Ed Sheeran on his third studio album, McDaid also co-wrote "Love My Life" with Robbie Williams and Gary Go from Robbie Williams "The Heavy Entertainment Show" album. The first two singles from Ed Sheeran's ÷ album came out in January 2017 and included McDaid's co-written "Shape of You" which has since become the most streamed song of all time with over 3 billion streams. McDaid produced 3 tracks and co-wrote 8 on the album. "Shape of You" went on to win BMI Pop Song of the Year as well as the Ivor Novello award for Most Performed Work.
In 2017 McDaid co-wrote Faith Hill & Tim McGraw's single "The Rest Of Our Life", Anderson East's single "All On My Mind", and Jamie Lawson's "Can't See Straight". Additionally, McDaid co-wrote Pink's single "What About Us" from her album Beautiful Trauma. The single, co-written with Pink and Steve Mac, and debuted at No1 in 26 Markets globally. DJ Snake released his single "A Different Way" featuring Lauv, which was the third Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac, Johnny McDaid collaboration to be released. In November 2017, McDaid became an Honorary Fellow of The Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool.
Released in 2018, McDaid co-wrote and produced Keith Urban's single "Parallel Line" and co-wrote Shawn Mendes "Fallin' All In You" from his self-titled and third studio album. In 2018, Snow Patrol released their 7th studio album titled Wildness. The album debuted as #2 on the UK album charts. He also won the IMRO Outstanding Achievement Award with which he was presented in February 2018.
In 2019, McDaid co-wrote "Broken & Beautiful" by Kelly Clarkson, which was featured in the film UglyDolls. McDaid also co-wrote and produced Alicia Keys "Underdog" and "Authors Of Forever" from her seventh studio album 'ALICIA'.
McDaid spent the majority of 2020 and 2021 working with Ed Sheeran on his = album on which he ended up as a producer on 9 songs, a co-writer on 10, including the UK #1 singles "Bad Habits" (nominated for Song of the Year at the 2022 Grammys) and "Shivers".
In 2026, McDaid co-wrote “Animal” by Katseye with Sheeran, Omer Fedi and Blake Slatkin.
Personal life McDaid began dating actress Courteney Cox in late 2013. The couple announced their engagement on 26 June 2014. In 2019, Cox stated that they had ended their engagement but remained in a relationship. Their separation was confirmed in June 2026.
McDaid has a tattoo on his left arm reading ("When I need to get home you're my guiding light"), an Irish translation of the song "Guiding Light" by fellow Northern Irish musician Foy Vance. Ed Sheeran and Vance both have the same tattoo, as does McDaid's younger sister Maev. The song was written for McDaid's father, who died in July 2011. "Guiding Light" was recorded with Sheeran featured on vocals and Vance on vocals and piano.
Songwriting and production credits
Year Artist Song Written with Produced with Album 2008 Schiller "Everything" Christopher von Deylen, Helen Boulding Sehnsucht 2009 Paul van Dyk "Home" Paul van Dyk Paul van Dyk Volume 2010 "We Are One" Paul van Dyk Paul van Dyk 2011 Lena "I Like You" Rosi Golan Good News Firefox AK "Running on My Own" Andrea Kellerman, Rasmus Kellerman, Harmony Boucher Colour the Trees 2012 Paul van Dyk "Everywhere" Paul van Dyk Evolution Karin Park "Bending Albert's Law" Karin Park Highwire Poetry Example "Say Nothing" Elliot Gleave, Dragan Roganovic The Evolution of Man Lena "Don't Panic" Lena Meyer-Landrut, James Flannigan Stardust 2013 Bo Bruce "Speed the Fire" Catherine B.-Bruce, Thomas Ashby, Gita Langley, James Glannigan Before I Sleep "Lightkeeper" Catherine B.-Bruce "The Fall" Catherine B.-Bruce, Ingrid Michaelson "How We're Made" Catherine B.-Bruce Ciaran Gribbin "My Killer My King" Ciaran Gribbin 2014 Ed Sheeran "All of the Stars" Ed Sheeran The Fault in Our Stars OST "Nina" Ed Sheeran X "Photograph" Ed Sheeran, Martin Harrington, Thomas Leonard "Bloodstream" Ed Sheeran, Gary Lightbody, Amir Izadkhah, Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden, Leon Rolle "Tenerife Sea" Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance "Afire Love" Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance "Take It Back" Ed Sheeran "English Rose" Ed Sheeran 2015 Kodaline "Love Will Set You Free" Stephen Garrigan, Mark Prendergast, Vincent May Coming Up for Air Rudimental "Never Let You Go" Amir Izadkhah, Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden, Leon Rolle, Foy Vance We the Generation 2016 Birdy "Wild Horses" Jasmine van den Bogaerde Beautiful Lies Biffy Clyro "Howl" Simon Neil, Gary Lightbody Ellipsis Robbie Williams "Love My Life" Robbie Williams, Gary Go Gary Go, Jonny Coffer The Heavy Entertainment Show Aquilo "Sorry" Thomas Higham, Benjamin Fletcher Aquilo Silhouettes 2017 Ed Sheeran "Shape of You" Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac, Kandi Burruss, Tameka Cottle, Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs ÷ (Divide) Rag'n'Bone Man "The Fire" Rory Graham, Jonny Coffer, Mark Crew, Daniel Priddy Jonny Coffer Human Ed Sheeran "Eraser" Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide) "Galway Girl" Ed Sheeran, Amy Wadge, Foy Vance, Damian McKee, Eamon Murray, Liam Bradley, Niamh Dunne, Sean Og Graham "Hearts Don't Break Around Here" Ed Sheeran "What Do I Know?" Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance Ed Sheeran "Supermarket Flowers" Ed Sheeran, Benny Blanco Benny Blanco "Barcelona" Ed Sheeran, Amy Wadge, Foy Vance, Benny Blanco "Nancy Mulligan" Ed Sheeran, Murray Cummings, Amy Wadge, Foy Vance, Benny Blanco Zara Larsson "Don't Let Me Be Yours" Zara Larsson, Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac So Good James Blunt "Make Me Better" James Blunt, Ed Sheeran The Afterlove Pink "What About Us" Alecia Moore, Steve Mac Beautiful Trauma Anderson East "All on My Mind" Anderson East, Aaron Raitiere, Ed Sheeran Encore DJ Snake "A Different Way" William Grigahcine, Ilsey Juber, Lindy Robbins, Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder, Steve Mac Jamie Lawson "Can't See Straight" Jamie Lawson, Ed Sheeran Happy Accidents "The Last Spark" Jamie Lawson, Gary Go Tim McGraw "The Rest of Our Life" Ed Sheeran, Amy Wadge, Steve Mac The Rest of Our Life Weezer "Get Right" Rivers Cuomo, Josh Alexander, Jonny Coffer Pacific Daydream Robbie Williams "Speaking Tongues" Robbie Williams, Ellis Taylor Show N Prove Under the Radar Volume 2 2018 Keith Urban "Parallel Line" Ed Sheeran, Amy Wadge, Julia Michaels, Benny Blanco, Christopher Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, William Champion, Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Hermansen Keith Urban, Ed Sheeran, Benny Blanco Graffiti U Kodaline "Follow Your Fire" Stephen Garrigan, Steve Mac Politics of Living The Shires "Stay the Night" John Newman, James Newman, Ed Sheeran Accidentally on Purpose Shawn Mendes "Fallin' All in You" Shawn Mendes, Scott Friedman, Teddy Geiger, Ed Sheeran, Fred Again Shawn Mendes Gareth Emery "Call to Arms" Gareth Emery, Gary Lightbody, Evan Henzi Kodaline "Head Held High" Stephen Garrigan, Liam O'Donnell, Jonny Coffer Politics of Living Paul van Dyk "Music Rescues Me" Paul van Dyk Music Rescues Me Kodaline "Hide and Seek" Stephen Garrigan, Corey Sanders, William Reynolds Will Reynolds, Max Marlow, Graham Archer Politics of Living "Born Again" Stephen Garrigan, Wayne Hector, Steve Mac "Hell Froze Over" Stephen Garrigan, Max Marlow Will Reynolds, Max Marlow, Graham Archer Paul van Dyk "Reprise" Paul van Dyk Music Rescues Me 2019 Beoga "Matthew's Daughter" Damian McKee, Eamon Murray, Liam Bradley, Niamh Dunne, Sean Og Graham, Ed Sheeran Carousel Kelly Clarkson "Broken & Beautiful" Alecia Moore, Steve Mac, Christopher Comstock UglyDolls OST John Newman "Forever's Not Long Enough" John Newman, Foy Vance, Jonny Coffer Out of the Blue EP Illenium "Blood" Nicholas Miller, Damian McKee, Eamon Murray, Liam Bradley, Niamh Dunne, Sean Og Graham, Amy Wadge, Foy Vance, Jonny Coffer Ascend John Newman "Mama" John Newman, James Newman, Foy Vance, Jonny Coffer Out of the Blue EP 2020 Alicia Keys "Underdog" Alicia Keys, Ed Sheeran, Amy Wadge, Foy Vance, Jonny Coffer Alicia Keys Alicia Beoga "Aurora II" Damian McKee, Eamon Murray, Liam Bradley, Niamh Dunne, Sean Og Graham, Jonny Coffer Carousel Example "Erin" Example Some Nights Last for Days Alicia Keys "Authors of Forever" Alicia Keys, Jonny Coffer Alicia Keys, Jonny Coffer, Mark Ronson Alicia 2021 Ross Copperman "Electricity" Ross Copperman, Ed Sheeran Somewhere There's a Light On EP "Therapy" Ross Copperman, Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran "Bad Habits" Ed Sheeran, Fred Again Ed Sheeran, Fred Again, Parisi = (Equals) BTS "Permission to Dance" Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk, Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac Ed Sheeran "Visiting Hours" Ed Sheeran, Amy Wadge, Michael Pollack, Anthony Clemons Jr., Kim Lang Smith, Scott Carter Ed Sheeran, Parisi = (Equals) Maisie Peters "Hollow" Maisie Peters, Ed Sheeran, Joseph Rubel You Signed Up for This Ed Sheeran "Shivers" Ed Sheeran, Kai Lavelle, Steve Mac = (Equals) "Tides" Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance, Joe Rubel "Overpass Graffiti" Ed Sheeran, Fred Again Ed Sheeran, Fred Again "The Joker and the Queen" Ed Sheeran, Fred Again, Samuel Romans Ed Sheeran, Fred Again, Romans "Collide" Ed Sheeran, Ben Kweller, Fred Again Ed Sheeran, Fred Again, Benji Gibson "Love in Slow Motion" Ed Sheeran, Natalie Hemby Ed Sheeran, Fred Again, Joe Rubel "Sandman" Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran "Be Right Now" Ed Sheeran, Fred Again Ed Sheeran, Fred Again, Parisi 2022 Ed Sheeran "Penguins" Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran = (Tour Edition) "One Life" Steve Mac, Ed Sheeran "Celestial" Steve Mac, Ed Sheeran Single 2024 "Under the Tree" Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran 2025Westlife"Chariot" Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac, Will Reynolds 25: The Ultimate Collection2026Katseye“Animal”Ed Sheeran, Omer Fedi, Blake Slatkin Wild
References
Sources
External links Johnny McDaid on Myspace. Archived from the original on 16 December 2011.