Ed Sheeran has released Play – The Remixes EP, a cross-cultural follow-up to his ninth UK No. 1 album Play. The new four-track project sees the British singer-songwriter re-imagining key songs from the album alongside artists from South Asia, deepening the creative ties he forged while recording in India earlier this year.
Leading the release is “Symmetry”, a rhythmic collaboration with Punjabi musician Karan Aujla. The accompanying video, directed by Liam Pethick, features Sheeran and Aujla performing with the Norwegian dance crew The Quick Style against a backdrop of high-energy choreography. “Karan is culture,” Sheeran said. “He taught me the Punjabi parts on this song in the studio… I feel like this is the beginning of our collaborative journey.”
The EP also features rapper Hanumankind, vocalist Dhee and composer Santhosh Narayanan on “Don’t Look Down”; Arijit Singh on the globally streamed hit “Sapphire”; and Jonita Gandhi on “Heaven”, Sheeran’s first song in Hindi. “It’s an honour to do it with her — what a talent,” he said of Gandhi.
Produced by a team including ILYA, Johnny McDaid, FRED, Savan Kotecha and Elvira Anderfjärd, Play – The Remixes EP expands the sonic palette of the original record while showcasing a blend of Indian languages, rhythms and pop production.
Sheeran has described the project as the result of a “transformative” month-long stay in India, during which he collaborated with local musicians and explored regional sounds. “Being there over the last decade through touring, I’ve met lots of local artists along the way,” he said. “I’ve loved this collaboration process so much and wanted to represent as much as I could on this EP.”
The release follows Play’s global chart success, which saw it reach No. 1 across multiple countries including the UK, Australia, and Germany.
The official “Symmetry” video is now on YouTube.
