The dust is in no hurry to settle on Ed Sheeran’s honest and soulful string of ballads in his latest album, “Divide.”
His album explores the highs and lows of love, reminding us of what it means to be alone, to see your ex with someone else, to lose a loved one and to dive deep into a new relationship.
He switches styles like he switches perspectives—from rap, to Irish folk and to pop—continuously captivating the world with new and unique tunes and stories. You can easily play his album on repeat, as there’s always something new to discover in his play on words.
After his one-year hiatus, he opens the album with his rap rendition, “Eraser.” Here Sheeran reveals that the love for his career and music came at a cost, one that managed to drive him away from the spotlight for an entire year. His only content against the festering hate that comes with fame in the music industry was erasing away all the pain. The song makes you wonder how exactly he erased the pain. Did he find comfort by running away and finding himself, by focusing on his music—a source of his pain—or by filling his void with love?
Perhaps “What Do I Know?” can bring us some clarity. Sheeran sings on, “I’ll paint the picture, let me set the scene/ I know when I have children they will know what it means / And I’ll pass on these things my family’s given me / Just love and understanding, positivity”. This translates to his belief that life’s happiness should not be founded in making money but in inspiring others to love deeply. He supports this thought in “Eraser” when he sings “I chased the picture perfect life, I think they painted it wrong”. The moral of the story is that instead of abiding by society’s predisposed constructs, follow your life’s passion and radiate love in everything that you do.
Sheeran’s entire album smoothly echoes its title, pacing back and forth between dividing emotions. While “Perfect” makes for the most beautiful, heartfelt wedding song, “Save Myself” tells the lonely story of always being the rescuer and never the rescued.
The master of variety, Sheeran throws us with the uplifting yet emotional story of his grandmother’s death in “Supermarket Flowers”, as told through his mother’s perspective. He follows the song with “Barcelona”, a bubbly take on carefree, summertime lust. Another one of his get-up-and-dance songs is “Galway Girl”. Undeniably a future hit, the breezy melody will stick in your mind (but oddly, never annoyingly) for days.
His two hit singles, “Castle on the Hill” and “Shape of You” should not be neglected amongst all his exciting, fresh content. While “Shape of You” expresses the intense desire that comes with new love, “Castle on the Hill” plays tribute to a much more profound tale. An easily relatable song for all those on the cusp of adulthood, Sheeran uncovers feelings of nostalgia as he sings about juvenile whims and woes.
In Sheeran’s expression of division, he fosters togetherness by having released a beautifully crafted album that colours love in a relatable and meaningful way.