Ed Sheeran Teasing New Music At Bondi Beach
Ed Sheeran is encouraging fans to get onto the dancefloor with his upcoming single, 'Azizam.'
'Azizam' balloon promoting Ed Sheeran's new single on Bondi Beach (Source: Supplied/Warner Music Australia)
A bright pink balloon with the word AZIZAM has appeared at Bondi Beach. The balloons have also appeared in Brooklyn, New York, and Delhi, with global superstar Ed Sheeran offering a teaser in the lead-up to the release of his upcoming single.
Sheeran is kickstarting a new era of music and has been teasing the forthcoming track on social media. Watching the teasers, it’s clear that Azizam is catchy and upbeat, with the Thinking Out Loud singer encouraging fans to get on the dancefloor.
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It contains Persian influences and features Iranian and Indian artists who play instruments including ghatam, daf, santoor, hammered dulcimer or lute, and backing vocals.
The title? Azizam is a Persian word – derived from the word Aziz, which means “dear,” “beloved,” or “precious,” the suffix “-am” is a pronoun in Persian that translates to “my” – that translates to “my dear” or “my beloved.”
The song is reportedly also inspired by Sheeran’s wife, Cherry, and their love affair.
Azizam will be released this Friday, 4 April, via Sheeran’s label, Gingerbread Man Records (and distributed by Warner Records) and is the lead single from his upcoming album, Play.
Sheeran said of the single in a recent social media post, “I wrote Azizam after [collaborator] Ilya Salmanzadeh suggested trying out making music inspired by his Persian heritage and culture. I love learning about music and different cultures the more I travel and connect with people. It was like opening a door to a completely new and exciting world.
“I loved how a lot of rhythms, scales, melodies and instruments were different but similar to the Irish trad music I had grown up with. It was showing to me music connects us all, and really is a universal language.
“This whole album is about being playful, explorative, and celebratory. The song comes out April 4, and it’s really great. Hope you like it too. And thank you to Ilya for introducing me to such a fantastic world and culture. And thank you to [collaborators] Savan Kotecha and Johnny McDaid for helping create this with us. Pre save Azizam now, out April 4th x”.
Ed Sheeran last toured Australia—in stadiums—in February 2023. Check out The Music’s review of his show at Suncorp Stadium here.
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