Almost exactly a year ago, Ed Sheeran told the world that he is taking a break from music. Indeed, he has kept his word, as his life as a public figure has been pretty much on pause since then. Before 2020 wraps up, though, Sheeran decided to treat his fans to a new song, “Afterglow.”
The romantic song is a pretty DIY effort, as he made the splatter paint single art himself and shared a one-shot performance video for the track. The song features some poetic writing from Sheeran, as he sings on the opening verse, “Stop the clocks, it’s amazing / You should see the way the light dances off your head / A million colors of hazel, golden and red / Saturday morning is fading / The sun’s reflected by the coffee in your hand / My eyes are caught in your gaze all over again.”
Sheeran shared a statement about the track, in which he suggested this isn’t the start of a big comeback and new album cycle for him. He wrote, “Hey guys. Afterglow is a song I wrote last year that I wanted to release for you. It’s not the first single from the next album, it’s just a song I love, and hope you love too. Enjoy ! Have a safe and happy festive break and New Year’s. Back to dad land for me now, ciao x.”
Watch the Afterglow video above and listen to the song below.
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.