Beloved British rocker Ed Sheeran has a new album coming out. The father of two made the exciting announcement on Wednesday, much to the delight of fans. But while this should have been a feel-good moment for Ed, he also took the opportunity to reveal how much of the album was inspired by a serious medical scare that his wife, Cherry Seaborn, experienced while she was pregnant in 2022.
Ed's new album, called 'Subtract,' was made during that difficult time
The 32-year-old "Bad Habits" singer didn't mince words when he announced the album via a press release, cutting right to the chase when it came to the inspiration behind the music he said he'd been working on in one way or another for 10 years.
"I had been working on Subtract for a decade, trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs with a clear vision of what I thought it should be. Then, at the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art," he said.
Music has always been Ed's therapy — and he really needed the extra help last year
Within the space of a month, Ed's best friend died, and his wife got some devastating news. He described how they learned that she had a tumor, and that doctors would be unable to treat her until after she gave birth since Cherry was pregnant at the time.
"In just over a week, I replaced a decade's worth of work with my deepest, darkest thoughts," Ed said, later adding: "I was spiraling through fear, depression, and anxiety. I felt like I was drowning, head below the surface, looking up but not being able to break through for air."
Ed has two little ones at home now
This must have been a terrifying time for his family, not just because Cherry was pregnant with their daughter Jupiter, but because they also had a 2-year-old at home, daughter Lyra Antarctica. (Jupiter arrived safely in May 2022.)
Jupiter is nearly a year old now
While Ed didn't come out and explicitly say it, it sounds like Cherry is either on her way to recovery or doing much better these days. That being said, it sounds like the depression and anxiety that Ed felt at the time was funneled directly into his music — and that has fans equally excited and nervous.
Fans offered support and well wishes after hearing Ed's update
People were quick to shower Ed with messages of love. "At a loss for words. Thank you, Ed, for opening up to us," one person wrote. "I think this album is not gonna be an easy one for all of us, but I'm bloody excited."
We have to admit that we're excited, too, and we can't wait to listen to Ed work through his feelings with his new songs. His album is set to be released on May 5.
