Ed Sheeran has shared the official release date for his new album ‘Play’, dropping September 12th; and shared the video for his latest single, ‘Old Phone.’ The song marks the second single to be shared from ‘Play,’ following ‘Azizam’ (which was named after a Persian term of endearment that translates to “my dear” or “my beloved”).
Sheeran shared of the album in an Instagram post: “‘Play’ was an album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life. Coming out of all of that I just wanted to create joy and technicolour, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring. I made this record all over the world, finished it in Goa, India, and had some of the most fun, explorative creative days of my life … It’s a real rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish, it encapsulates everything that I love about music, and the fun in it, but also where I am in life as a human, a partner, a father. Going into this album campaign I said to myself ‘I just want everything I do to be fun and playful’ – so that’s why we are building pubs for folk jams, doing gigs on open top busses and singing in pink cowboy hats on bars. The older I get the more I just want to enjoy things, and savour the moments that are mad and chaotic.”
‘Old Phone’ was inspired after Sheeran found old phone unused since 2015, and re-discovered old messages from friends and family members. He teased the track by sharing an archival Instagram account called ‘Teddy’s Old Phone’, which sees him reflect on his life in 2015. Sheeran said: “It felt like a time capsule, a time of life that I was in, and living at that time in 2015. Turning it on really spun me out, I found myself scrolling messages and conversations with people who are no longer here. I found myself crying at messages to friends who are now dead, who I won’t get to speak to again. It feels like a song that should’ve been on my debut album, but also a song I couldn’t have written until I experienced real life things happening to me. It makes me emotional to sing, I hope it finds some emotion in you too. Maybe it makes you switch on your old phone and have a look at where you were a decade ago too. Whatever it does, I’m glad I wrote it.”
The “Old Phone” music video, directed by Emil Nava, begins with Sheeran explaining the inspiration behind the song and the idea for building the Old Phone Pub in Ipswich, Massachusetts, as well as showing footage from the Old Phone Pub being built, and Ed interacting with fans (interspersed with Ed looking at text messages and photos from his actual old phone) before culminating with Sheeran performing a gig at the Old Phone Pub. Ed writes on Instagram: “I wanted fans to all come to this special first pop up Old Phone pub gig to all be there for the same reason, and emotionally connected. I wanted everyone in that room to have felt the same feelings of nostalgia, longing, joy and sadness I had felt from going through my old phone. I asked all of them to submit a video, a photo or a message from their old phone that meant a lot to them to get into the gig that night, and we all shared in a night of music, dancing, laughing and tears. It was really magical, maybe my favourite music video I’ve ever made.”
See the video for ‘Old Phone’ – HERE.
To pre-order ‘PLAY’ head HERE.
Editorial credit: Paul Froggatt / Shutterstock.com
