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asonginlife

Ed Sheeran - Eyes Closed


Nearly two years after "=" came out, Ed Sheeran decided to return to his

roots. The very same ones that granted him an exceptional breakthrough in

the last decade, turning him into a contemporary and cultural icon in the

music industry.


The British troubadour remarkably specializes in the garnering number-one

hits out of emotional ballads: ones that are toes deep in wistful and

romantic narratives. One has to only take a peek at his celebrated

discography for it is so abundant. Last Friday, he broke through the static to

reveal "Eyes Closed," a heartfelt affair that is amplified by his personal ups

and downs in recent times.


Describing the instrumentation would hardly take much effort: a playful

and brisk pizzicato riff moves gracefully to a delicate ensemble of drums,

piano, and a guitar. Most of the heavy lifting is done here by the

"Photograph" singer, as he lays bare a range of emotions through his

endearing vocals. Penning lyrics such as the mournful "It's been a while, my

dear/Dealin' with the cards life dealt", or the optimistic output in choruses

that balances out the grief in these verses. It almost symbolically represents

the metaphorical "light at the end of the tunnel": that there's still a glimmer

of hope left, and to enjoy the remnants of good memories made with those

who passed away.


It's no surprise that "Eyes Closed" seized the number one spot without any

delay, a testament that people love Ed Sheeran dole out his true feelings in

such simpler, no-frills songwriting. Aiding the song's construction is a

superb team including Max Martin, the Swedish Producer responsible

behind chart-topping "Blinding Lights" from the Weeknd, to electronic

music's latest sensation Fred Again..., another talented figure who has been

blowing up in the scene.


This is the first track we have heard from his upcoming album "-" (Subtract),

which is already gathering much hype since the opening single has now

earned Ed Sheeran his 14th number One position on the UK Charts. In turn,

it has made him the third most successful artist nationally with plenty of

chances of this turning into the definitive summer hit of 2023, arriving even

before the warmer days have begun.




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