Forget just hearing a new album; last night, London lived one. Together with Spotify, Ed Sheeran pulled off a surprise event that redefined how fans can connect with their favorite artists.
The evening began with an exclusive, immersive listening party for Ed’s new album, Play, at London’s Lightroom space. Fans were surrounded by world-class audio and exclusive footage from Ed’s recording process, making for a multisensory journey into the creative heart of Play.
But the real showstopper? When the lights came up, Ed Sheeran himself walked onto the stage for a surprise chat with host Nihal Arthanayake. The artist pulled back the curtain on Play, sharing stories about its creation, writing music for his wife, Cherry, and collaborating with producer Fred again..
On work-life balance, Ed said, “In my early career, it was 100% work, 0% personal life. Now it’s 70% family, 30% music. Balance isn’t just healthy, it’s success. When I look back at these years with my family and friends, I want to say: I lived those days and I enjoyed every minute.”
He spoke about writing for—and about—Cherry: “Cherry knows I write about everything, not just the good stuff,” he said. “Songs like ‘Perfect’ exist, but so do the ones about real conflict. That’s part of any relationship, and I think it’s important to be honest about it.”
And as for working with Fred again.., Ed said, “Fred taught me pace. You get the idea down first—don’t overthink it. If it’s great, we’ll figure it out. We’d write five songs in a day, just bang, bang, bang, then come back a month later and pick what’s worth finishing.” He added, “It’s the antithesis of the Swedish pop way, where you spend a week on one song. With Fred, it’s energy first, then polish.”
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