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Ed Sheeran recently opened up about the story behind his new single, Old Phone, sharing that it was inspired by a pretty emotional experience he had during a copyright lawsuit. He took to Instagram to share some old photos and to announce a new Instagram account where fans can see rare pictures, handwritten lyrics, and messages from his past — giving everyone a more personal glimpse into what he’s been feeling.
Here’s how it all started: during the lawsuit, Ed had to hand over his old phone and other devices to his lawyers. This was because the case involved accusations that his hit song Thinking Out Loud copied Marvin Gaye’s classic Let’s Get It On. (By the way, Ed was cleared of those claims in 2023.) While going through his old phone, which the judge had ordered him to give up, Ed switched it on and began scrolling through old texts and memories.
That simple act of looking back triggered a flood of feelings. The very first message he saw was from his late friend Jamal Edwards, who had recently passed away. Then came a message from an ex-girlfriend, and after that, one from a family member he hadn’t spoken to in ten years. It was like opening a time capsule from 2015.
Ed said scrolling through those old messages felt really emotional — almost like reliving a chapter of his life. He found himself crying over messages from friends who aren’t around anymore and feeling nostalgic for who he was back then.
To share these feelings with his fans, Ed posted pictures of himself with friends like Taylor Swift, One Direction, and Jamal Edwards. Seeing these old memories made him think about the people he was once close to but had since lost contact with or lost altogether.
The song Old Phone itself was written during a late-night recording session in India, around 2 a.m., while Ed was finishing up his new album. He mentioned that the song sounds like something from his very first album but explained that he couldn’t have written it until he’d lived through these deep, real experiences.
Old Phone is part of Ed Sheeran’s upcoming eighth studio album called Play, which is set to come out in 2025. Ed plans to release a new song every month leading up to the album’s full release. The first single from the album, Azizam, was released earlier in April.
To celebrate and promote his new music, Ed surprised fans in London by performing live outside King’s Cross Station. He wore a bright pink T-shirt and sang in front of a huge pink heart backdrop. He also toured the city on a pink double-decker bus, playing some of his biggest hits like Shape of You and Perfect.