Ed Sheeran has opened up about the deeply personal inspiration behind his new song 'Salt Water', describing it as being born from the 'darkest nights' of his life. The 32-year-old singer is preparing to release his fifth studio album, Subtract, which features the track.
In a recent Instagram post as part of his 'Subtract Sundays' series, Sheeran shared the meaning behind the song with his 43.1 million followers. He wrote: 'Salt water was written about some of the darkest nights into mornings, and the ‘what ifs’ surrounding those thoughts.'
The singer also explained in a video that the song 'plays out what the final moments would be jumping into cold salt water and feeling at 3 to 4 degrees that you're free.' He noted that 'Salt Water' and another track, 'Boat', helped frame the direction of the album early on.
Fans have reacted emotionally to the revelations, with one commenting: 'I feel like Subtract will be the album to smash my heart into a million pieces then slowly put it back together again.' Another added: 'I really am not sure if I'll be able to emotionally process the album.'
Earlier this month, Sheeran celebrated his 14th number-one single in the UK with 'Eyes Closed', the lead track from Subtract. He expressed his gratitude on social media, saying: 'I never, ever take this for granted this far into my career. Thank you for everyone who’s been connecting to Eyes Closed.'
