Ed Sheeran shared a collection of throwback photos from his old phone’s camera roll on Instagram this Tuesday, April 29, building anticipation for his upcoming single “Old Phone.” Among the shared memories was a candid selfie featuring his longtime bestie Taylor Swift.
“Put the sound on and have a listen. I got rid of my phone in 2015, and moved onto email full time. I just turned my phone off in December ’15 and that was it,” Sheeran, 34, began in the caption section.
The photo carousel kicked off with a playful snap of Sheeran rocking messy hair and flashing a tongue-out expression while throwing up the “rock on” hand gesture. Following that were several intimate moments: another solo shot, a friendly selfie with Swift, a screenshot dated Nov. 4, 2015, producer Benny Blanco at work, a sweet moment with his wife Cherry Seaborn, and more.
“When I got sued, the judge ordered me to give up my old devices to the other side’s lawyers, to look through messages, emails, voice notes, videos, etc., to see if there was anything on there to help their case,” he continued, referencing the “Thinking Out Loud” copyright lawsuits.
Upon powering up his old device, Sheeran discovered messages from his late friend Jamal Edwards (who passed in 2022), exchanges with a former girlfriend he “hadn’t been in contact with for years,” and correspondence with a family member he “hadn’t spoken to in a decade.”
“It felt like a time capsule, a time of life that I was in, and living at that time in 2015. Turning it on really spun me out; I found myself scrolling messages and conversations with people who are no longer here,” he wrote. “I found myself crying at messages to friends who are now dead, who I won’t get to speak to again. I found old photos of me with people I was so close to then, but we’ve lost touch since.”
For the pop superstar, revisiting these digital memories proved to be “such an emotional journey” — inspiring him to pen “Old Phone” while wrapping up his album in India.
“It feels like a song that should’ve been on my debut album, but also a song I couldn’t have written until I experienced real life things happening to me. It makes me emotional to sing; I hope it finds some emotion in you too,” the “Photograph” singer wrote.
He concluded, “Maybe it makes you switch on your old phone and have a look at where you were a decade ago too. Whatever it does, I’m glad I wrote it.”
Sheeran’s digital nostalgia trip expanded to a second Instagram account, @teddysoldphone, where he shared more intimate glimpses into his life – including additional photos with Cherry Seaborn, email exchanges with music industry icons like Elton John, and memorabilia from his Red tour days with Swift.
One particularly charming snapshot featured a jar of homemade jam with Swift’s playful note: “Yo Ed — I’m really happy 4 you and I’m gonna let u finish but this is the best JAM OF ALL TIME – T.” The message cleverly referenced Kanye West‘s infamous interruption of Swift at the 2009 VMAs, as Sheeran noted in his caption: “It was pretty good jam.”
The release of “Old Phone” follows his recent single “Azizam.” Both tracks will appear on his upcoming album Play, though no official release date has been announced yet.
Play comes on the heels of Sheeran’s 2023 releases – (pronounced Subtract) and Autumn Variations.
Between releases, Sheeran’s been keeping busy with various collaborations. He recently vibed with Snoop Dogg on TikTok, where the rap legend rolled a blunt while “Azizam” played in the background.
Just days before, he surprised fans at a Nashville bar, joining Noah Kahan for a rendition of “Stick Season.”
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