Music
24 Mar 23

Ed Sheeran releases new video 'Eyes Closed,' detailing struggles with grief and depression

Photo Credit: Annie Leibovitz

The newly released track carries a heavy weight, encapsulating the feeling of “losing someone, feeling like every time you go out and you expect to just bump into them, and everything just reminds you of them and the things you did together,” Sheeran stated.

Ed Sheeran has released the music video for 'Eyes Closed,' the lead single off the singer's forthcoming album '-', (pronounced Subtract).

The track and accompanying video detail Sheeran's grief following the sudden and tragic deaths of entrepreneur Jamal Edwards and cricketer Shane Warne, two of the singer's closest friends. "I felt like I was drowning," said Sheeran in a hand written note to his social media.

In the video, the 32 year-old musician goes through the motions of a night out, spending time at a bar, restaurant and diner. Intriguingly, the singer chooses to interact with no one in these brimming spaces, opting to instead sit alone, or stand in corners away from the crowds. He's trailed by a fluffy blue creature who appears to become larger as the track goes on, eventually overwhelming the screen by taking full frame.

“When I was thinking of concepts for the ‘Eyes Closed’ music video, I wanted to make a video inspired by movies like Harvey, where the main character has an imaginary friend who’s a giant rabbit that no one can see," said Sheeran in a recent release.

The singer equates the creature to his grief. No one else can see it, but it follows him everywhere he goes.

"There’s also a book I read my daughters where sadness is encapsulated by an imaginary creature. Often sadness is something that follows you around, engulfing the rooms you’re in, and you can feel and see it, but no one else around you can," remarked Sheeran.

‘Eyes Closed’ is the first single to released from Ed Sheeran’s upcoming album Subtract, set to arrive on May 5. The record is a raw and vulnerable take on Sheeran's past year, seeking to work the musician's sense of "fear, depression and anxiety."

"As an artist I didn’t feel like I could credibly put a body of work into the world that didn’t accurately represent where I am and how I need to express myself at this point in my life," the the singer stated recently, noting the authenticity of the record.

Sheeran also recently announced documentary Ed Sheeran: The Sum of it, which will be premiering on Disney+ May 3rd.