And Finally Artist News

Ed Sheeran has already completed two more albums, including a second with Aaron Dessner

By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 22 March 2023

Ed Sheeran has revealed that, in addition to his upcoming album ‘-’, he has also recorded a second album with The National’s Aaron Dessner, and another with J Balvin, and has yet another in the works that won’t come out until after his death.

Pronounced ‘Subtract’, the new album is the final part of Sheeran’s series of records named after mathematical symbols, and was co-written and produced last year by Dessner. The National guitarist’s collaborations with Sheeran follow his earlier creative partnership with Taylor Swift, which also resulted in two albums – ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’.

Confirming that there will be two releases from his Dessner alliance, Sheeran tells Rolling Stone: “It was very quickly seen that we were making two different things”.

The second record will apparently be more upbeat than the more emotionally heavy ‘-’. It’s not clear when it will be released, but it is currently being mixed. “I have no goals for the record”, he explains. “I just want to put it out”.

As well as all that, Sheeran also reveals that he has just completed a collaborative album with J Balvin, which features guest appearances from Burna Boy, Daddy Yankee, Pharrell Williams and Shakira. Videos have already been shot for tracks on that record, but again no release date has been set.

Meanwhile, he adds, he is now working on what he hopes will be his best album. Although that, he says, will be released posthumously, with plans to continue working on it throughout his life.

“I want to slowly make this album that is quote-unquote ‘perfect’ for the rest of my life, adding songs here and there”, he says. “And just have it in my will that after I die, it comes out”.

That’s quite a lot to be getting on with, but those aren’t Sheeran’s only plans for new music. While he may have finished his run of mathematically-titled albums, he’s not leaving symbols behind, saying that he already has an idea for another series of five records with titles based on linked symbols.

What symbols he won’t say. Maybe emojis. Or road signs. Or those weird symbols that are meant to tell you how to wash your clothes. We just don’t know.

Anyway, if you’re not a fan of Sheeran and his songs, you’ll no doubt be displeased with this here confirmation that he already has plans for eight more albums after his next one. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, ‘-’ is out on 5 May.