Ed Sheeran has revealed how his wife Cherry Seaborn was diagnosed with an 'inoperable' tumour during her pregnancy with their second child.
The singer-songwriter is set to release his new album '-' (Subtract) on Sunday and said the backdrop to writing this album was one of personal grief and hope.
Speaking about the new music, he said: “I had been working on Subtract for a decade, trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs with a clear vision of what I thought it should be.
READ MORE: Well-known presenter marked as favourite to replace Tubridy on Late Late Show
"Then at the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art."
At this point in Ed's life, his wife Cheery Seaborn was pregnant with their second daughter. Ed said that while she was pregnant they got the terrible news that she had a tumour but she was not able to undergo treatment until after the baby was born.
The couple secretly welcomed their second child, Jupiter, in May 2022 after their first daughter Lyra Antarctica was born in August 2020.
"Writing songs is my therapy. It helps me make sense of my feelings. I wrote without thought of what the songs would be, I just wrote whatever tumbled out. And in just over a week, I replaced a decade’s worth of work with my deepest darkest thoughts," he said.
"Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumour, with no route to treatment until after the birth. My best friend Jamal, a brother to me, died suddenly and I found myself standing in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter. I was spiralling through fear, depression and anxiety," he continued.
"I felt like I was drowning, head below the surface, looking up but not being able to break through for air. As an artist I didn’t feel like I could credibly put a body of work into the world that didn’t accurately represent where I am and how I need to express myself at this point in my life."
"This album is purely that. It’s opening the trapdoor into my soul. For the first time I’m not trying to craft an album people will like, I’m merely putting something out that’s honest and true to where I am in my adult life."
This album is the last in Ed's decade-spanning mathematical album era after releasing his debut album '+' in 2011 followed by 'x', ‘÷’ and ‘=’.
He teaming-up with Aaron Dessner on writing and production after the pair joined forces following an introduction from mutual friend Taylor Swift, and the duo began creating the album in February last year.
They wrote over 30 songs during their month together in the studio with 14 eventually making it into the tracklist for '-'.
Ed has also announced a series of UK and European shows. He will be coming to Dublin's 3Arena on March 30 this year - with tickets going on sale Friday, March 10 at 9am.
READ NEXT:
Irish Tesco shoppers warned popular product may be ‘unsafe’ to eat
Gardai probing alleged knife murder get more time to quiz suspect
Brooke Scullion fined €300 after pet cat 'wrecked' Dublin apartment
Stepdad of missing Amy Fitzpatrick appears in court over alleged assault
David Beckham and son Cruz, 18, hit the pub again as they sink pints in Dublin
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
