I never cried at music when I was younger. And then, Ed Sheeran came into my life.
I first started listening to Ed in eighth grade, when his album "+" was released. My friends and I couldn't get enough of him, listening over and over again to his songs, doodling lyrics in our notebooks, and crying our eyes out when we got coveted concert tickets. We loved Ed, and we wanted a boy to sing to us the things that Ed was. We knew all the words by heart, and we used them as cheesy Instagram captions, serenading each other whenever we could.
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Flash forward to 2014, when I downloaded the next album, "X," the second it was released. I spent so much time listening to the new music that I stayed up late at night, getting lulled to sleep by Ed's soft voice and immaculate lyrics. "Thinking Out Loud" quickly became the song for so many couples, as it was played at every wedding, school dance, and Flipagram video dedicated to one's significant other. "X" showed a different side of Ed's music, giving edgier lyrics, fast-paced songs, and treading into hip-hop stylings. The album gave me the same sort of warm feeling, satisfied by the words Ed was singing, and by the time I saw him for a second time in concert, in June 2015, I knew every word of every song.
You can imagine my shock and joy when I found out that Ed would be releasing new music this year. After a year of hiatus from social media, Ed turned his profile picture and cover photo an electric blue color in late December, right before announcing on January 1st that new music would follow. In a video less than 30 seconds long, with Ed holding up signs, he managed to thrill and bring joy to millions of dedicated fans like myself.
The second I got back from a trip to Mexico and had uninterrupted alone time, I listened to Ed's two new songs on repeat in the car. "Shape of You" will undoubtedly be the song of the summer and of 2017 in general, as so many of his songs have done before it. It has the same "edgy" and fast style that many of the songs from "X" had, giving fans a familiar taste while packing energy and catchy lyrics into a new tune. "Castle on the Hill" is the nostalgic Ed that listeners love and cherish, while maintaining an upbeat vibe and quick beat. Both songs have already topped the charts in less than 48 hours, amassing millions of views on YouTube.
I'm so happy with Ed's new music, as both songs are predecessors to what is sure to be a magnificent album. I can't wait for the rest of material to be released, and so thrilled that 2017 started off in such a wonderful way.
