Ed Sheeran officially released his latest single, "Azizam," on April 4, 2025. The track is a rhythmic and Persian-influenced pop number, reports suggest. It is the official first single from Ed Sheeran's upcoming album Play.
The beloved singer has been teasing this new song, Azizam, with surprise street performances and a pink balloon-themed teaser video. He has been relatively quiet since his 2023 albums Subtract and Autumn Variations. Now, with Azizam, Sheeran seems to be moving in a different direction.
Take a look at the official music video of Ed Sheeran's latest single, "Azizam," below:
The video was titled "Ed Sheeran - Azizam (Pink Heart Video)." Its YouTube description reads:
"'We filmed this across USA (and a bit in Ipswich) whilst promoting the song this month. it was an amazing atmosphere wherever we went, i wanted to reflect that with the video. big up Liam Pethick for pulling out all the stops and making this video so good, and all the fans that went to see the pink hearts all around the world.' - Ed"
Fans were notably quick to weigh in on the comment section of the video as they shared their excitement and feelings regarding "Azizam." Below are what some of them had to share:
"This will be played at every Persian wedding until the end of time," declared a fan.
"Azizam literally translates to "my dear" or "my beloved", it is commonly used in Persian as a term of endearment between loved ones, including romantic partners, close friends, and family members. You are welcome! :D Spread the good vibes!" penned another.
"People don't fully grasp how historic and iconic this is. A global superstar, who is not Persian, chose to incorporate a Persian word and Persian musical influences into a song that will be recognized worldwide. He did not have to do it, but he did—and that speaks volumes about the kind of person he is," opined a third.
"This song is more than music; it's a bridge between cultures. As someone from Iran, this means the world to me. Thank you, Ed Sheeran!" expressed a fourth.
Others also chimed in:
"For those who did not notice, this song was actually made in an Iranian, dancy rhythm style called "Shish-O-Hasht" (literally meaning 6'8 time signature), which really added to the Iranian flavour of this work," commented a netizen.
"With Azizaam, you touched the hearts of millions of Iranians. In a country where music is silenced, you brought joy, hope, and connection. You did not just release a song — you gave people a reason to smile," expressed another.
"Must admit I didn't understand this song when I saw it for the first time. Then I read the comments and realised Ed introduced a whole culture to the world and that is just incredible. Now I'll be reading up more on Persians and Iran and educating myself a bit so I won't be so ignorant. Great job Ed!" lauded a third.
Ed Sheeran's 'Play' era begins
"Azizam" is the opening act for Play, which is Ed Sheeran's upcoming eighth studio album. Reports suggest that after naming five of his previous albums after mathematical symbols (Plus, Multiply, Divide, Subtract, Equals), the singer is now moving into a new series titled like media controls: Play, Pause, Rewind, Fast-Forward, and Stop.
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