Ed Sheeran.Photo: Dan Martensen
Sheerios, rejoice —Ed Sheeranis back!
The “Bad Habits” singer’s fourth full-length album — titled=(and pronouncedEquals) — will hit shelves on Oct. 29, he announced Thursday.
Sheeran, 30, also released a new song called “Visiting Hours,” which he said he wrote followingthe March death of his mentor and friendMichael Gudinski.
“=(Equals) is a really personal record and one that means a lot to me,” Sheeran said in a statement. “My life changed greatly over the past few years — I got married, became a father, experienced loss, and I reflect on these topics over the course of the album. I see it as my coming-of-age record, and I can’t wait to share this next chapter with you.”
The four-time Grammy winner ismarried to Cherry Seaborn, and the couple welcomeddaughter Lyra Antarcticain August 2020. Two of = (Equals)’s tracks, titled “Sandman” and “Leave Your Life,” will tackle fatherhood, while “The Joker and the Queen,” “First Times” and “2step” will focus on love.
Sheeran wrote on Instagram that he started writing and recording the album in June 2017, and that it’s “been a long, long process” having it come to fruition.
“I’ve never been more proud of a body of work, or more excited/nervous for you all to hear it,” he wrote. “Lots more music to come, but for now I hope you are as excited as me for this album.”
= (Equals) is the latest in Sheeran’s symbol album series, following+(Plus) in 2011,x(Multiply) in 2014, and÷(Divide) in 2017. He also released an EP in 2019 titledNo.6 Collaborations Project, which featured appearances from stars likeJustin Bieber,Camila Cabello, Khalid andChance the Rapper.
Ed Sheeran.Dan Martensen
Fans can catch Sheeran performing ahead of the 2021 NFL Kickoff on Sept. 9, andcan pre-order = (Equals) here.
The tracklisting for the album is as follows:
“Tides”
“Shivers”
“First Times”
“Bad Habits”
“Overpass Graffiti”
“The Joker And The Queen”
“Leave Your Life”
“Collide”
“2step”
“Stop The Rain”
“Love In Slow Motion”
“Visiting Hours”
“Sandman”
“Be Right Now”
source: people.com
