It is always interesting to observe how different musical artists go through their specific creative processes.
Some bands, such as The Maine, from Phoenix, are extremely transparent while creating music, including their fans as much as possible along every step of the way.
Other bands like The 1975, from Manchester, England, enjoy creating a mysterious and enigmatic energy when they are making new music, releasing cryptic clues to their fans before revealing the final product.
Then there are artists like the widely adored Ed Sheeran, who go completely M.I.A. and pop back up a year later with two new singles and a third album.
On Dec 13, 2015, Ed Sheeran released a statement on all of his social media platforms stating that he would be taking a break from his phone, emails and all social media for a while saying that he would see us all “next autumn.”
Fans did not know exactly what this meant but also did not worry too much, due to the fact that in his hiatus statement he also expressed that album three was on its way and “the best thing [he] [has] made thus far.”
After Sheeran announced he would be going off the grid, not a word was heard from him until Dec. 13, 2016, a full year later, when he posted to both his Twitter and Instagram accounts a photo of a solid, light blue square.
Ed Sheeran fans from across the world went crazy, not knowing what he was hinting at but hoping that it was the third album Sheeran spoke of in his farewell-for-now announcement.
Finally, on Sunday, Jan. 1, Sheeran released a nine-second video of him holding a sign announcing there would be “new music coming Friday.”
For the next week, Sheeran posted videos hinting at the new music he was talking about, and at midnight on Friday, Jan. 6, he released not one, but two new singles from his third album.
The singles have the classic “Ed Sheeran” sound while also being dusted and influenced with a new and slightly different vibe that fans are eager to see scattered throughout the new album.
Sheeran has previously released two full-length albums. His first is titled “+”, read as “plus.”
“+” was released in 2011 and was extremely successful in his homeland of England.
It was not until 2013 when he opened for music’s very own spoiled brat, Taylor Swift, on her “Red” tour that he became overly popular in the United States.
After gaining international popularity, in 2014 Sheeran released his sophomore album titled “x”, read as “multiply.”
This album won the Brit Award for Album of The Year, while also scooping up two Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
With his ever-growing popularity and success, fans were slightly puzzled and disappointed when Sheeran disappeared on his 12-month hiatus, but were overwhelmed with excitement with the announcement of the completion of his third album titled “÷”, read as “divide.”
“÷” is to be released on March 3.
With the anticipation of the release of the album, fans are also expecting the announcement of a new tour from Sheeran, but will have to wait and see.
Despite his anxiety-inducing secret nature, people absolutely cannot wait to see what this precious little musical mathematician has coming next, because it is sure to be flawless.

SARA BORRO
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