Azizam by Ed Sheeran

About 'Azizam' (information from Wikipedia):

"Azizam" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 4 April 2025 under Sheeran's own label Gingerbread Man Records and distributed by Warner Records as the lead single from his upcoming eighth studio album, Play.[2][3] The track was written and produced by Sheeran, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Johnny McDaid, and Savan Kotecha.[4] The Persian version of the song featuring Iranian singer Googoosh was released on 18 April 2025.[5] The CD single and 7-inch single was issued on 2 May 2025, including exclusive bonus track "Crashing".[6][7] "Azizam" debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Sheeran's 42nd top 10 hit in his home country.

Composition[edit]

The word "azizam" (عزیزم) originates from the Persian language and literally translates to "my dear" or "my beloved".[8][9] The track features a vibrant dance beat with Persian music influences.[10][11] Several Iranian and Indian artists took part in the recording of the song, playing instruments like ghatam, daf, santoor, hammered dulcimer, or lute, and singing backing vocals.[12][13] "Azizam" was inspired by Sheeran's wife and their love affair.[14] The singer explained the meaning of the song and its composition process on his social media pages:[15]

"Even though it’s completely different to anything that I’ve ever done before, "Azizam" feels familiar to me. I wanted to create a party atmosphere in a song and Ilya Salmanzadeh, who I worked with on the track, helped bring that to life. He was so inspiring to work with. I wrote ‘Azizam’ after [Salmanzadeh] suggested trying out making music inspired by his Persian heritage and culture. I love learning about music and different cultures the more I travel and connect with people. It was like opening a door to a completely new and exciting world. I loved how a lot of rhythms, scales, melodies and instruments were different but similar to the Irish trad music I had grown up with. It was showing to me music connects us all, and really is a universal language".

Promotion[edit]

On 15 March 2025, he debuted "Azizam" during a surprise street performance in New Orleans.[16] Four days later, a 30-second snippet of "Azizam" premiered on YouTube.[17]

Critical reception[edit]

Reviewing "Azizam" for The Guardian, Alexis Petridis wrote that the song at first instance appears to be a non-commercial tune but "once you hear the end result, it has pretty much the same relation to Persian music as 'Galway Girl' did to sean-nós singing" stressing that the "Middle Eastern cast to a counter-melody that appears during the chorus, but the rest is positively Anglo-Saxon".[18]

Music video[edit]

On 4 April 2025, Sheeran released the "Pink Heart Video" of "Azizam", directed by Liam Pethick.[19] It was filmed mainly in the United States, during the promotion of the single in March 2025.[19]

The official music video was released on 17 April 2025.[20] It was filmed in South London in mid-February 2025,[21] after Sheeran finished the Indian leg of his ongoing +–=÷× Tour, and directed by Iranian-American filmmaker, Saman Kesh.[22] The Persian wedding-themed video stars Googoosh, Andy, Omid Djalili, Eyelar, Ilya Salmanzadeh and Shervin Alenabi.[20]

Track listing[edit]

• Digital / streaming single[23]

1. "Azizam" – 2:42

• Digital / streaming single[5]

1. "Azizam" (Persian version; featuring Googoosh) – 2:42

• CD and 7-inch single[6][7]

1. "Azizam" – 2:42

2. "Crashing" – 4:11

• Digital / streaming single[24]

1. "Azizam" (D.O.D remix) – 2:48

• Digital / streaming single[25]

1. "Azizam" (Acoustic version) – 2:41

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[26]

• Ed Sheeran – songwriting, production, vocal producer, lead vocals, guitar, backing vocals

• Ilya Salmanzadeh – songwriting, production, bass, drums, keyboards, backing vocals, programming, engineering

• Johnny McDaid – songwriting, production, guitar, backing vocals

• Savan Kotecha – songwriting, production, backing vocals

• Graham Archer – vocal producer

• Ganesh Murali – ghatam, tambourine

• Jayesh Kathak – daf

• Tapas Ray – santoor, hammered dulcimer, lute

• Andy – backing vocals

• Arash – backing vocals

• Elvira Anderfjärd – backing vocals

• Eyelar Mirzazadeh – backing vocals

• Luka Kloser – backing vocals

• Citizens of the World Choir – choral backing vocals

• Graham Archer – engineering

• Jeremy Lertola – assistant engineer

• Nick Rose – assistant engineer

• Will Reynolds – assistant engineer

• Serban Ghenea – mixer

• Bryce Bordone – assistant mixing engineer

• Stuart Hawkes – mastering