Ed Sheeran lost his partner Jamal Edwards in 2022 and won a public copyright fight in London’s High Court. Now, he has disclosed his wife’s health issues during her second pregnancy.
Ed Sheeran has revealed his wife was diagnosed with a tumor while she was pregnant and that he suffered “fear, depression, and anxiety” as he dealt with her diagnosis as well as the loss of his close friend Jamal Edwards.
The chart-topping British star opened up about the struggles he faced in 2022 in a statement confirming details of his new album, saying that “a succession of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art”.
Cherry Seaborn, 32, was informed by doctors that she had a tumor while pregnant with their second child, who was born in May, “with no route to treatment until after the birth,” according to Sheeran.
At 31, Edwards, who created SBTV, died.
Two authors sued Sheeran in March, alleging that Shape Of You copied their song Oh Why. He later won the case but spoke out about how it had taken its toll on him.
His upcoming album is titled – (Subtract), following previous mathematics-inspired albums + (Plus), (Multiply), (Divide), and =. (Equals).
Sheeran said he discarded his original tunes because of his difficult experiences writing them.
“I had been working on Subtract for a decade, attempting to create the ideal acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs with a clear vision of what it should be,” he said.
Then at the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I regarded music and art.
‘I felt like I was suffocating’
Suffolk resident Sheeran described songwriting as “my meditation.”
He added: “It aids in making sense of my emotions. I wrote without considering what the compositions would be; I simply wrote whatever came to mind. And in just over a week, I supplanted a decade’s worth of work with my darkest, most introspective ideas.”
The celebrity went on to discuss the 2022 events that inspired his new work. “Within a month, my expectant wife was diagnosed with a tumor with no treatment options until after the birth,” he said.
“After my best friend and brother Jamal died suddenly, I was in court defending my integrity and songwriter career. I was in a downward spiral of dread, depression, and anxiety”.
I felt like I was drowning, with my head below the surface, gazing up but unable to gain air.”
Sheeran did not provide any additional information regarding Seaborn’s condition. “Over the moon,” the 2019 newlyweds revealed the birth of their second daughter in May.
The star collaborated with Aaron Dessner of The National, who collaborated on Taylor Swift’s platinum-certified albums Folklore and Evermore, to assist with the writing and production of the album, which is scheduled for release on May 5.
‘Trapdoor into my psyche’
Sheeran said he could not issue an album that did not “accurately represent” his current situation and challenges.
He compared the album to “unlocking the trapdoor to my psyche” and added: “For the first time, I’m not attempting to create an album that people will enjoy; I’m simply releasing something honest and true to where I am in my adult life.
“This is last February’s diary entry and my method of making sense of it. Subtract is what this is called.”
The album cover depicts Sheeran’s visage alongside a broken and cracked heart. The Highlands Of Aberfeldy, the album’s final piece, references the Scottish market town he has frequented. Other song titles include Boat, Salt Water, Life Goes On, Colourblind, and No Strings.
Acclaimed American photographer Annie Leibovitz captured images of the star being swept away by waves and hunched over a writing desk at night, which was released alongside the announcement.
