GLOBAL pop sensation Ed Sheeran, who is releasing his new album Play on Sept 12, has dropped a nostalgic new single Old Phone, offering fans a glimpse into the emotional depths of his upcoming project.
The newly released Old Phone, produced by Blake Slatkin and Ilya Salmanzadeh, strikes a chord of tender nostalgia. Inspired by rediscovered memories on a long-forgotten phone, the track explores how time transforms relationships and identity. With its stripped-back acoustic feel and raw lyricism, Old Phone bridges Sheeran’s early sound with his evolved artistry, setting the stage for what promises to be one of the defining albums this year.
Play marks a fresh artistic chapter for Sheeran, closing the door on his iconic Mathematics series and embarking on an explorative journey across cultures and sounds. Drawing inspiration from his exposure to Indian and Persian musical traditions, surprisingly intertwined with the Irish folk roots he grew up on, Sheeran crafts a borderless musical tapestry.
Collaborating with global producers and musicians, he balances these new sonic experiments with the acoustic balladry that has cemented his reputation as one of the most beloved singer-songwriters of his generation.
Sheeran describes Play as a joyful, technicolour response to the darkest chapter of his life, created across continents and completed in Goa, India. The album, under Gingerbread Man Records and Atlantic Records UK, promises a rollercoaster of emotions, blending fun, chaos and the grounded reflections of life as a partner and father. Always one to surprise, Sheeran teases a playful album campaign filled with impromptu folk jam sessions, gigs on open-top buses and pink cowboy hats on bar counters, all designed to capture the spirit of fun and spontaneity.
