A work that presents one of the biggest stars in the world at his most vulnerable and honest moment after going through one of the most turbulent moments of his life. And as happens on those occasions, the interpreter was able to count on her lifelong friends, including her inseparable Taylor Swift.
This is how he has revealed it on his official Instagram profile: “So in 2021, I received a message from @taylorswift to link me with @aarondessner. She thought he and I would do something great together. I have to be honest I was a little reluctant to work with him that soon after folklore and forever because I felt it was a Taylors thing and both had been done so perfectly.But we met for dinner, chatted about life and music, and he promised to send me some instrumentals for me to write each time the inspiration came” begins by explaining the English soloist.
“As soon as I got them, I loved the whole general vibe of it and knew that one day I would write to them, but at the time I was finishing what I thought was Subtract, so I would put them on the second burner for a bit. So, Like I said in my announcement post, a lot of things started happening in my personal life that I felt the need to vent in a song and write diaristically about. Aarons had the instrumentals, so I started writing, writing, writing,” he acknowledges. Sheeran on the creative process of Subtract.
“He flew to the UK and we recorded it in a week by the sea, and it’s been the most amazing process and an album I’m so proud of. Thank you Aaron and Jon for the incredible amount of hard work and dedication you put into this project, and for bringing out a side of me that I had kept quiet for so long. And of course, thanks to Swizzle, as always, you’re great x” the musician concluded.
– (Subtract) serves as a timely reminder of why Ed Sheeran remains one of the most gifted lyricists of his generation; an artist who breaks down his own experiences for fans to seek comfort and belonging. The album departs from Sheeran’s typical songwriting structure, and offers the depths of his career.
In February of last year, After Ed and Aaron Dessner (The National) joined forces following the introduction of their mutual friend Taylor Swift, Ed and Aaron began writing and producing the album in February of last year. Writing over 30 songs in a month, the album’s fourteen tracks are bound together by exquisite production, from folky textures to bolder orchestral arrangements.