Ed Sheeran is plotting the release of the next album in his “mathematical” series, and this record will most likely be his most personal work to date. Sheeran announced the release of his next album Subtract and shared a series of personal struggles that inspired its lyrics.
Sheeran teased his fifth studio album Subtract (styled as “-”) by sharing a lengthy statement on social media, accompanied by a photograph by Annie Liebowitz. He described a string of events that changed his life and ultimately the way he approached music and art.
“Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumor, with no route to treatment until after the birth. My best friend Jamal, a brother to me, died suddenly, and I found myself standing in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter. I was spiraling through fear, depression, and anxiety,” wrote Sheeran on social media.
The British hitmaker went on to explain he felt like he couldn’t credibly “put a body of work into the world that didn’t accurately represent where [he was].” His vision for his next album significantly changed following this string of events, and he wanted to craft a body of work that’s honest and true to where he is in his adult life.
Subtract will be released on May 5, and its standard edition will feature a total of 14 tracks.
