Ed Sheeran said he’d poured his heart and soul into his eighth album, Play, which he wrote as a direct response to “the darkest period of my life.”
And as the first journalist in the world to listen to the 13-track record, I can confidently say this is Ed’s most powerful — and personal — body of work to date.
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He has written a new version of his runaway 2014 hit Thinking Out Loud in song The Vow, where he writes about his love story with his wife Cherry Seaborn.
Plus, Ed has penned a poignant new song for the other women in his life — his daughters Lyra and Jupiter.
I’m not ashamed to say For Always brought a tear to my eye. The song reads like a love letter to his girls, who Ed, naturally, is fiercely protective over as he bids to give them the most normal upbringing he can.
Lyrics in the track include: “Sometimes the stars will guide you better than I can, and you’ll close your eyes holding another’s hand.
“Your skin, your hair, your world will change, you will trust someone, your heart will break.
“I will be the constant that remains.”
Ire and fury
Ed also touches on his mortality in the song, a slowed-down ballad which shows off his gentle vocals to perfection, as he sings for his daughters: “And for all my life and until we meet again, I’m forever, I’m for always.”
The album, recorded around the world and finished in India last year, touches on many themes, with Ed pouring ire and fury into A Little More — a diss track — and whoever it is written about will no doubt be quaking in their boots.
But overarchingly love plays a huge part in this record.
In Other Words, which I guarantee will become the song his fans use to propose to their other halves during his next run of shows, feels like another ode to Cherry — his childhood sweetheart.
The song is smattered with insights into their normal life together and will make fans feel even closer to Ed.
Poignantly on a number of tracks, Ed references Cherry’s second pregnancy in 2022 — when she was diagnosed with a tumour doctors couldn’t operate on until she’d given birth.
Cherry recovered but the scars of such a seismic event, and the loss of his best friend Jamal Edwards weeks before, are clear to see in Ed’s songwriting. Play’s first track Opening appears to be the song he poured his pain into.
The track starts with gentle guitar strings, as Ed sings: “I have cried tears at my brother’s grave.
“I have shaken hands with my wife’s surgeon.
“I spent weeks inside the darkest cage.
“But now the day bursts wild and open.”
But before Opening can lull you into thinking it’s another classic ballad, Ed surprises you with a pacy and raw rap which — although you might not believe until you hear it — he absolutely nails.
His lyrics run like a stream of artistic consciousness, with Ed taking in every aspect of his life to date — including the years it took him to break into the industry, his victorious High Court copyright row and how his life has changed since finding fame.
Ed sings: “Me and that guy don’t speak no more.
“I know why, but he’s not sure.
“So what is the reason for.
“My heart’s been broke so many times by loved ones that I don’t even feel like talking.
“So heed that warning, circle keeps getting smaller
“All I need is Chez and my daughters and a few friends to help me.”
My final standout track — along with the already released Sapphire — is Camera, where Ed lets rip with some Lewis Capaldi-esque vocals that reminded me of just how impressive his voice can be.
It’s a brilliant return to form and it is an album that I think his fans will love, and listen to, over and over again.
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Ed Sheeran, Play
★★★★★
Damon peaks
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They’re one of the coolest bands of all time and now Gorillaz are back.
Damon Albarn has confirmed their ninth album, The Mountain, will be out in March next year, with new single, The Happy Dictator, out now.
He said: “I’ve been incredibly busy making music so I suppose I’m going to have to share some of it soon. Inevitably there’s going to be a dustbin bag full of stuff that needs dropping off at recycling!”
Admitting he’s been flat out since his other band Blur reunited in 2023, he added: “Right off the back of it, there was so much going on.
“I was doing an opera in Paris and starting on the new Gorillaz record.” Last week Gorillaz surprised fans by performing The Mountain in full during a four-night run at Copper Box Arena in East London.
Damon told us the record has a heavy Indian influence, with Johnny Marr featuring on one track.
The Mountain will also use the voices of musicians no longer with us, including The Fall singer Mark E Smith and soul legend Bobby Womack.
Lila hits purple patch
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The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree for Kate Moss.
Her lookalike daughter Lila made sure all eyes were on her as she attended the Desigual fashion show in Barcelona in a chic purple dress.
And it’s not just Lila’s looks that make her the spitting image of her mum.
She has taken to stealing classic pieces out of her mum’s wardrobe.
At Glastonbury this summer she admitted swiping Kate’s old festival looks to wear on site.
If my mum was Kate Moss, I’d be doing the same.
Garth for BST
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BST Hyde Park only wrapped a huge summer of shows two months ago, with acts including Sabrina Carpenter, Stevie Wonder and Olivia Rodrigo topping the bill.
But organisers are already looking at next year… and I can reveal their first headliner.
Country legend Garth Brooks, above, is returning to the UK for the festival, which will be his first show here in some 30 years.
Garth is the latest big name in a series of world-class acts who have been signed up to play the capital’s day festival. Previous headliners include The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift.
Meanwhile, Leeds is getting a massive new festival from the brands behind BST Hyde Park.
Rockers on Tap for film
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Indie rockers Bilk were in good company at the gala screening of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
The band – above from left, Luke Hare, Sol Abrahams and Harry Gray – hung out with Mathew and Issey Cartlidge from The Molotovs at posh Soho Hotel in London before watching the mockumentary sequel, which is in cinemas nationwide from today.
I told last month how bosses had filmed a top-secret concert at Stonehenge in celebration of the movie sequel – with, randomly, Myleene Klass blagging an invite.
Beats has released three bold covers for the new iPhone 17.
The cases boast MagSafe charging and camera control – ideal for selfie lovers and those with low battery.
It comes just days after Blackpink singer Jennie teamed up with the audio giant to release limited edition ruby-red over-ear headphones.
Edith: Martin Scorsese was such a Good Fella
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Edith Bowman is the queen of the film premiere – I catch her at nearly every red-carpet event.
And the presenter has opened up about her most star-struck moments – including a very emotional interview with legendary Goodfellas director Martin Scorsese.
In an exclusive chat with Bizarre, Edith recalled: “I was so nervous and he was so generous with his time.
“Making him laugh is one of my biggest achievements in life. And then I came out and I just burst into tears.
“It was bonkers. It was a real moment for me.”
Edith was talking to celebrate today’s launch of Radio 3 Unwind on DAB+.
She has a show on the station called Cinematic Soundtracks where she plays some of her favourite blockbuster music.
Edith said: “It’s thoughtful and meditative and trying to encourage people just to take a minute.
“I just hope I get the chance to continue celebrating these great storytellers and playing their brilliant music and being nosy and asking them loads of questions.”
Laughing, she added: “My son Spike got asked at school, ‘What do your parents do?’
“He said: ‘My mum talks for a living.’ It’s great.”
Touring giant AEG Presents has created American Express Presents Roundhay Festival, which will take place next summer in the city’s famous Roundhay Park.
The park has a great relationship with big artists, with Madonna, Michael Jackson and Ed Sheeran playing the park over years. I expect a top line-up.
Ariana Grande has wisely learned from Oasis’s mistake.
The We Can’t Be Friends singer has decided to turn off dynamic pricing for her Eternal Sunshine tour.
Fans online had been worrying that the controversial system was going to be used, sending them into meltdown.
If you ask us, the option should be axed altogether.
Mariah’s gig in Amazon
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You see plenty of exotic birds in the Amazon rainforest, but I never expected Mariah Carey to be one of them.
The Type Dangerous singer will perform in South America on a floating stage on Wednesday as she headlines Amazonia Live – Today and Always.
She will take to the waters of the Guama River in Belem, Brazil, for the event, which raises the issue of how climate change is affecting the rainforest.
The floating stage she will perform on has been designed to look like the region’s symbolic plant, called Victoria Amazonica.
I cannot even begin to imagine how incredible this is going to look.
But a word of warning, Mariah.
Get a load of mozzie repellent as part of your rider.
Robert’s on road
Robert Plant is hitting the road with his band, Saving Grace.
The Led Zeppelin legend is touring in support of their upcoming, self-titled album.
The group will play ten dates across the UK this December, starting on December 8 at the Portsmouth Guildhall.
