Ed Sheeran has contributed to his decade-long mathematical album era with a whole new batch of music on his upcoming collection, (Subtract), which will be published on May 5.
As they return to Ed’s singer/songwriter beginnings, the new hits will be the last to be issued under a symbol-inspired pseudonym.
Set against a backdrop of personal pain and optimism, the set list promises to portray the much-loved singer at his most vulnerable and honest.
Ed revealed: ‘I had been working on Subtract for a decade, trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs with a clear vision of what I thought it should be.
‘Then at the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art.
‘Writing songs is my therapy. It helps me make sense of my feelings. I wrote without thought of what the songs would be, I just wrote whatever tumbled out.
‘And in just over a week, I replaced a decade’s worth of work with my deepest darkest thoughts.’
The chart leader went on to detail traumas he suffered in the lead-up to the release of his record, including his pregnant wife being told she had a tumour with no treatment options until after the birth.
He then recalled the loss of a close friend, Jamal Edwards, whom he characterised as a “brother to me,” and revealed that he “found myself standing in court defending my integrity and profession as a musician” as a result.
He admitted: ‘It’s opening the trapdoor into my soul. For the first time I’m not trying to craft an album people will like, I’m merely putting something out that’s honest and true to where I am in my adult life.’
Ed first burst onto the UK music scene in 2011 with his debut album +.
From then on he rapidly established himself as a history-making artist, following his successful debut with x, ÷, No.6 Collaborations Project and =.
– (Subtract) Track-listing
– (Subtract)
- Boat
- Salt Water
- Eyes Closed
- Life Goes On
- Dusty
- End Of Youth
- Colourblind
- Curtains
- Borderline
- Spark
- Vega
- Sycamore
- No Strings
- The Hills of Aberfeldy
Ed’s album – (Subtract) will be available to stream from May 5, 2023.