Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
“In a conversation with iHeartRadio Canada, Sheeran revealed that he worked on Play and Rewind at the same time.”
Ed Sheeran’s relentless drive continues to set him apart.
The Grammy-winning artist is gearing up to release his eighth studio project, Play, on Friday, Sept. 12. But during a recent chat with iHeartRadio Canada, he shared that his next record, Rewind, is already close to completion.
“I actually worked on Play and Rewind simultaneously,” Sheeran explained. “We wrapped up Play first since it felt the most exciting. Rewind is probably just a couple of months away from being fully finished, and I imagine it’ll be released sometime within the next year and a half.”
The Azizam singer went on to explain, “They’re essentially like sibling records. One leans heavily into Indian influences, while the other is rooted more in nostalgia, so they ended up taking different creative paths.”
In a separate conversation with Condé Nast Traveler, Sheeran reflected on completing Play in Goa, India, and how the local culture shaped the project.
“Everyone I encountered in India was incredibly warm, welcoming, and joyful, and that spirit found its way into the music,” he shared. “I wanted to channel that vibrancy and color into the album, drawing inspiration from the cultures I experienced while touring.”
Play also serves as the first installment in Sheeran’s new album series. During an April appearance on The Tonight Show, he explained the larger vision: “When I was around 18, I came up with an idea for a set of 10 albums. It started with Plus, Multiply, Divide, Subtract, and Equals, and then continues with Play, Pause, Fast Forward, Rewind, and Stop.”
In the same interview, the Thinking Out Loud star revealed that he even has plans for a posthumous project. “I want to create an album that represents my whole life—songs from different eras—that would only be released after I’m gone, titled Eject,” he said.
He elaborated by imagining how meaningful it would be if another legendary artist had done the same: “Picture if Paul McCartney passed away and left behind a record with tracks from when he was 16, 20, 30—it’d be incredible to hear.”
Sheeran then joked, “There’ll probably be plenty of people saying, ‘Even from beyond the grave, he’s still messing with us.’”
