Ed Sheeran battles depression in poignant new single ‘Boat’ – Rolling Stone

Annie Leibovitz

Ed Sheeran has shared an emotional new single, “Boat,” along with a music video for the track. The song from the upcoming album of the singer Take outwas written from the English coast in winter and honestly reflects the depression, with Sheeran using a boat as a metaphor for trying to keep the water at bay.

The video, directed by Mia Barnes, sees Sheeran in the waves on a British beach. The visual echoes the song’s lyrics as the musician tries to break the cycle of sadness: “They say all scars heal, but I know I might not,” Sheeran sings. “The waves won’t break my boat.”

“‘Boat’ is the first song I wrote and finished Take outSheeran said in a statement. “This is where it all started and it’s a good way to start the album.”

Take out, out May 5, is Sheeran’s latest full-length album in a series of records named after mathematical symbols. The album was produced by Aaron Dessner of National.

In March, Sheeran shared the album’s lead single, “Eyes Closed.” This song arrived with another cinematic music video, following the artist as he wanders from bar to diner accompanied by a large blue monster symbolizing his grief.

In a recent wide-ranging cover story for A rolling stoneSheeran spoke about the grief he faced following the death of his close friend Jamal Edwards and how his death was part of the inspiration for the new album.

“No one really talks about their feelings where I come from,” he said. “People think it’s weird to get a therapist in England… I think it’s very helpful to be able to talk to someone and just vent and not feel guilty about venting. I’ve obviously lived a very privileged life. So my friends would always look at me like, ‘Oh, it’s not that bad.'”

Sheeran will also be the subject of Disney+ documentaries Ed Sheeran: The sum of it allset to premiere on May 3. The four-part documentary will chart Sheeran’s rise from stuttering kid to superstar, packed stadiums, complete with never-before-seen footage from his personal archives, new interviews with Sheeran and his family, intimate performances and more.