After a period of releasing introspective and mellow albums, Ed Sheeran is back in the pop spotlight with a fresh, upbeat single titled Azizam.
The song marks a return to his hit-making roots, but with a distinct twist: it blends Sheeran’s signature pop melodies with Middle Eastern musical influences, a nod to the heritage of producer Illya Salmanzadeh.
The track’s name, Azizam, translates to “my dear” or “my darling” in Farsi, and its sonic textures feature the ghatam—a clay percussion instrument from Southern India—and the santur, a traditional hammered dulcimer with Iranian origins. These elements bring a global flavor to Sheeran’s music, signaling his continued appetite for cultural exploration.
Speaking with BBC Radio 1, Sheeran expressed his appreciation for the Persian inspiration behind the track. “Now the song’s finished and it’s out, I’m discovering more and more every single day that Persians are really, really proud of their culture, and it’s great to celebrate it,” he said.
This celebration of cultural identity is not new for Sheeran, who has built a career on adapting and embracing different musical styles. With Azizam, he channels both joy and curiosity, crafting a track that’s playful yet rooted in deep admiration for another culture.
Though Azizam lands during a particularly busy week in the music industry—alongside new releases from Miley Cyrus, Wet Leg, and Elton John—Sheeran’s new single is already standing out. While it stays true to the familiar Ed Sheeran formula—acoustic strings, catchy hooks, and smooth vocals—the added Persian rhythms offer something fresh.
In a rapidly expanding Middle Eastern music market, these elements could prove strategically significant. Sheeran, always the savvy artist, seems to understand this: his past collaborations with international stars like Burna Boy, J Balvin, and Fireboy DML reveal an instinct for creating globally resonant pop.
Recalling the track’s origin, Sheeran said the creative spark came directly from Illya Salmanzadeh, a Swedish-Iranian songwriter known for his work with Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift. “One day he was just like, ‘I would love to make something within the culture that I come from,’ and that’s how it was sparked,” Sheeran told Greg James on Radio 1.
He further explained how the musical process reminded him of his roots: “I loved how a lot of rhythms, scales, melodies and instruments were different but similar to the Irish trad music I had grown up with.” The parallels he draws between Middle Eastern and Celtic sounds add an interesting layer to the song’s global identity.
The song had its live debut in an unexpected setting—a surprise street performance in New Orleans’ vibrant French Quarter. Accompanied by the local brass band Soul Rebels, Sheeran played Azizam to an impromptu crowd, giving fans their first taste of the energetic fusion that defines the track.
The studio version also includes background vocals from the Citizens of the World Choir, an ensemble made up of refugees and their allies. This inclusion adds another dimension of meaning to the song, reinforcing its theme of cross-cultural unity and shared human experience.
Initial reactions to Azizam have been largely positive, though some critics have offered mixed reviews. The Guardian awarded the track three stars, noting that while the Persian elements add flavor, they remain mostly ornamental in an otherwise typical Sheeran pop number.
“Azizam does its job with the kind of ruthless efficiency you might expect from Sheeran in unabashed pop mode,” wrote critic Alexis Petridis. “It has a hook that fully digs into your brain the first time you hear it, and proves impossible to dislodge thereafter.”
In contrast, The Telegraph’s Neil McCormick described it as “banal, featherweight musical Esperanto,” though he conceded its sticky appeal: “Lighter than candy floss and twice as sticky… the next time you ask me, I’ll probably declare it a bubblegum classic.”
Listeners, however, appear to be embracing the single with open arms. One fan messaged Sheeran during his appearance on BBC Radio 2, saying, “I’m from an Iranian family, and there are so many Persian music influences in the song, which is amazing to hear.”
That kind of feedback highlights the cultural impact Azizam is already making—not just as a catchy tune, but as a bridge between cultures. With millions of fans around the world, Sheeran’s choice to spotlight Persian music could serve as an introduction to an entire genre for many listeners unfamiliar with it.
Azizam is also the lead single from Sheeran’s upcoming eighth studio album, which he recently revealed will be titled Play. Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the 34-year-old singer outlined plans for a new conceptual series of records under the names Pause, Rewind, Fast-Forward, and Stop.
In an especially candid moment, he joked about having a posthumous album in the works that would feature songs written throughout his life. “That one’s going to be called Eject,” he said with a grin, drawing laughter from the studio audience.
This new chapter in Sheeran’s career comes after a period of subdued commercial performance. His 2023 album Subtract, produced by Aaron Dessner of The National, showed a softer, more introspective side of the artist. Critics praised it for its vulnerability, but despite strong reviews, it became Sheeran’s first album not to go platinum in the UK.
Later that year, he followed it up with Autumn Variations, a concept album that, despite debuting at number one, quickly fell out of the Top 40 and has yet to be certified gold.
Still, Sheeran remains one of the most streamed artists on the planet. On Spotify alone, 12 of his tracks have surpassed one billion plays, with Shape of You ranking as the platform’s second-most streamed song of all time at 4.3 billion streams.
His ability to adapt and innovate—even after setbacks—keeps him relevant in an industry where trends change fast. With Azizam, Ed Sheeran may not just have another hit on his hands, but a meaningful cultural moment that further expands the scope of global pop.
