Ed Sheeran’s surprise new single will leave you “Happier”: Listen now
British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is back with a brand new track that will absolutely leave you “Happier”. After being absent from the music scene for more than a year now, he released his brand new track “Afterglow” as a surprise on Monday.
“Afterglow” was released alongside a special one-take performance uploaded to the artist’s official YouTube channel. Ed Sheeran also shared the release on Instagram, stating he wrote the song in 2019.
Ed Sheeran made us happier when he introduced the song to the world, saying: “Hey guys. Afterglow is a song I wrote last year that I wanted to release for you.” The fans thanked Ed Sheeran for the early Christmas present on Twitter & other socials.
Previous works
The last time Ed Sheeran dropped an album was in July 2019. His fourth studio album No. 6 Collaborations Project – which he prefers to call a “compilation album”– consisted of fifteen collaborative tracks with an array of artists including Justin Bieber, Camila Cabello, Travis Scott, Eminem, Cardi B, Young Thug, Skrillex, Bruno Mars and many more.
No. 6 was a followup to Ed Sheeran’s 2011 EP No. 5 Collaborations Project, dropped right before the release of his first studio album + (Plus) later that year – this was the album that made the “Happier” singer blow up around the world.
Looking at Ed Sheeran’s discography, it’s difficult not to miss the multiple year-long intervals between his albums. For instance, the musician took a three-year gap between the × (Multiply) and ÷ (Divide) albums released in 2014 & 2017 respectively. Therefore, it wasn’t a stretch for the fans to anticipate a new album before 2020 ended.
Yet, to the disappointment of the fans, Ed Sheeran clarified on his Instagram post that “[“Afterglow” is] not the first single from the next album, it’s just a song I love, and hope you love too. Enjoy !”
Daddy dearest
Ed Sheeran has been married to his childhood sweetheart, Cherry Seaborn, for close to two years now before dating her for three more years prior. In September, the couple welcomed their first baby into this world and named her Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran.
The new dad had taken to Instagram to announce the arrival of his daughter – Ed Sheeran wrote on INstagram how much happier he was: “We are completely in love with her. Both mum and baby are doing amazing and we are on cloud nine over here, we hope that you can respect our privacy at this time. Lots of love and I’ll see you when it’s time to come back, Ed x.”
Presumptively, due to the sweet addition of baby Lyra to the Seaborn-Sheeran family, Ed Sheeran had extended his well-deserved hiatus from being a full-time pop star. Happy parenting to the couple!
“Afterglow”
So, it was truly befuddling for the fans when “Afterglow” dropped.
The lyrics to the newly released track are written & sung in a typical Ed Sheeran style – stripped back vocals accompanying his acoustic guitar. “We were love drunk waiting on a miracle/Trying to find ourselves in the winter snow,” Sheeran sweetly croons. And he finishes the soft chorus with “So alone in love like the world had disappeared/Oh I won’t be silent and I won’t let go/I will hold on tighter ‘til the afterglow.”
The cover art to the single was also created by Ed Sheeran himself. The abstract painting appeared full of technicolor work – Could it perhaps depict his sheer joy of becoming a dad? We wonder! While we realize the song was written last year, we like the interpretation of the song being written in anticipation of his newborn.
Ed Sheeran ended his Instagram post wishing everyone to “Have a safe and happy festive break and New Year’s. Back to dad land for me now, ciao x”. The fans felt gleeful at the glimpse into his life and preached about their December becoming “10 times better” with the release of “Afterglow”.
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We look forward to hearing more of Ed Sheeran’s songs like “Happier” & “Afterglow” in the coming year. Film Daily wishes the Seaborn-Sheeran family happy holidays!
