Ed Sheeran has dropped a teaser for his upcoming album, Play, on Instagram, exciting fans with a preview of its Indian influences. In the teaser, the Shape of You singer is heard singing the line, “cham cham chamke sitare warghi,” and a new tattoo in Punjabi.

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Inspired by his time in India

The teaser comes on the heels of Sheeran’s recent multi-city tour in India, during which he shared memorable moments jamming with legends like A.R. Rahman and Arijit Singh. Some of these vibrant experiences have now found their way into the new album, which includes a song sung in Punjabi.

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An emotional journey through music

In addition to the teaser, the singer also released an emotional new single titled Old Phone. The album announcement video gives fans glimpses of Sheeran’s time in India, showcasing scenes of him playing the tabla and sitar, fully immersing himself in the rich musical culture.

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Sharing the video on Instagram, Ed wrote, “Play was an album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life. Coming out of all of that, I just wanted to create joy and technicolour, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring.”

He continued, “I made this record all over the world, finished it in Goa, India, and had some of the most fun, explorative, creative days of my life. It’s a real rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish, it encapsulates everything that I love about music, and the fun in it, but also where I am in life as a human, a partner, a father.”

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