Ed Sheeran Teases New Song Azizam with a Snippet

Ed Sheeran has given fans a taste of “Azizam,” a new track set to feature on his forthcoming eighth album. While the album’s title and release date remain under wraps, the singer has wrapped up recording.

Sheeran posted a studio clip on social media alongside Ilya, a renowned producer and songwriter. It seems “Azizam” is a joint creation—fitting, since the pair previously teamed up on Taylor Swift’s “End Game” from Reputation (2017). No premiere date for the single was announced, but Sheeran dropped a hint that it’s just around the corner.

The “Azizam” snippet suggests Sheeran’s dipping into ethnic sounds for his latest work. Earlier in February, producer Savan Kotecha shared a snippet of another unreleased Sheeran track, its Indian influences unmistakable. That same month, Sheeran performed in India and even tried busking on the streets—until local police shut it down for safety reasons.

Sheeran’s most recent album, Autumn Variations, arrived in September 2023, hot on the heels of Subtract earlier that year. Both were helmed by The National’s Aaron Dessner and earned critical praise, a shift from the flak Sheeran often caught in the past. He’s been upfront about not chasing chart-toppers with those releases, even joking they’re unlikely to blast from every speaker. But for this next album, Sheeran’s eyeing a return to pop’s spotlight. A fan theory buzzing online pegs the title as Play—though nothing’s confirmed yet.