Ed Sheeran is embarking on a nostalgic journey through his past. On Tuesday, April 29th, the crooner behind the hit "Thinking Out Loud" shared an enchanting series of vintage photos from his camera roll on Instagram, celebrating the imminent release of his latest single, "Old Phone." Among these treasures was a cherished selfie with his long-time friend, Taylor Swift.
In the caption, the 34-year-old artist began by revealing, "Press play and let the sounds take you back. I bid farewell to my phone in 2015, embracing email communication full-time. I simply switched it off in December of that year, and that was the end of an era." The carousel of memories commenced with a playful snapshot of Sheeran, hair tousled, tongue out, and fingers flashing the "rock on" sign. This was succeeded by another solo portrait, the aforementioned selfie with Swift, a screenshot of a heartfelt note penned on November 4, 2015, a snap of Benny Blanco engrossed in computer work, a self-portrait with his wife Cherry Seaborn, and more.
Sheeran delved deeper into his past, mentioning, "When I faced legal disputes over 'Thinking Out Loud's' copyright, the judge ordered me to surrender my old devices to the opposing counsel for inspection of messages, emails, voice notes, videos, etc., to uncover any potential evidence. When I powered up my old phone, I stumbled upon messages from my late buddy Jamal Edwards (who passed away in 2022), an ex-lover who I hadn't spoken to for years, and a family member I hadn't communicated with in a decade."
"It felt like opening a time capsule, a glimpse into the life I once lived, the vibrant era of 2015. Switching it on sent me spiraling through a whirlwind of emotions, scrolling through conversations with people who are no longer with us," he continued. "I found myself shedding tears over messages from friends who have passed, whom I can never converse with again. I discovered old photos of myself with individuals I was once incredibly close to, but we've since lost touch."
For Sheeran, revisiting these memories was an incredibly emotional odyssey—one that inspired him to pen "Old Phone" while wrapping up his album in India. "It feels like a tune that should've been on my debut album, yet it's a song I couldn't have penned until I'd lived through real-life experiences. Singing it brings me to tears, and I hope it evokes some emotion within you too," penned the "Photograph" singer.
He concluded, "Perhaps it prompts you to switch on your old phone and take a peek at where you were a decade ago. Whatever it does, I'm thrilled I wrote it." Additionally, Sheeran launched a secondary Instagram account, @teddysoldphone, showcasing even more photos with his wife Seaborn, email screenshots from celebrity friends like Elton John, and artifacts from his and Swift's touring days during the 'Red' era.
"It was quite the spread," captioned Sheeran beneath a photo of a jar of jam, its label penned in Swift's handwriting, reading, "Yo Ed—I'm genuinely happy for you and I'm gonna let you finish, but this is the best JAM OF ALL TIME—T." (Her inscription, of course, a clever nod to Kanye West's viral interruption of her MTV VMAs acceptance speech in 2009.)
"Old Phone" will succeed the release of "Azizam" earlier this month. Both singles will feature on his upcoming album 'Play,' for which Sheeran has yet to announce a release date. 'Play' will follow the 2023 releases of '-' (pronounced Subtract) and Autumn Variations.
This post marks another exciting chapter in Sheeran's eclectic endeavors. On April 28th, he shared a TikTok video of himself enjoying quality time with Snoop Dogg, with "Azizam" playing in the background as Snoop rolled a blunt. Just days prior, he joined Noah Kahan at a Nashville pub to serenade the crowd with "Stick Season."
