Popstar Ed Sheeran has unveiled ”Play – The Remixes EP”, a new project that features collaborations with some of India’s most celebrated artists, including Karan Aujla, Arijit Singh, Jonita Gandhi, Hanumankind, Dhee and composer Santhosh Narayanan.
The four-track EP reimagines songs from Sheeran’s chart-topping ninth album ”Play”, which hit No. 1 in the UK and across several countries earlier this year. Leading the project is “Symmetry”, a Punjabi-English fusion featuring singer-rapper Karan Aujla.
The song’s official video, directed by Liam Pethick, showcases high-energy performances by Sheeran, Aujla and international dance crew The Quick Style. The project, Sheeran said, was inspired by his month-long stay in India, where he immersed himself in the country’s music and connected with several local artists. "Making and finishing ’Play’ in India was such a fun experience. Being there over the last decade through touring, I’ve met lots of local artists along the way, and I’ve been introduced to all types of music and cultures.
"I’ve loved this collaboration process so much and I wanted to represent as much as I could on this EP, so here’s a little track-by track rundown,” Sheeran said in a statement. The EP’s standout track “Symmetry” marks the first collaboration between Sheeran and Aujla. “Karan is culture, and I love the movement he’s making with Ikky at the moment. He taught me the Punjabi parts on this song in the studio. I feel like this is the beginning of our collaborative journey,” Sheeran said.
The EP also includes “Don’t Look Down”, a Tamil-English fusion track featuring rapper Hanumankind, singer Dhee and composer Santhosh Narayanan.“I loooove Hanumankind and got the opportunity to meet him at Coachella and catch his show. I was obsessed with the energy and feel of it all. We connected then and we have since been speaking about working together, then this idea came up.”
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"Santhosh is one of the greatest film composers and introduced me to Dhee who is such an amazing talent and voice. I wanted to represent South India on this EP and the beautiful Tamil language, and they have done such an amazing job in fusing it together,” Sheeran added. His collaboration with Arijit Singh, “Sapphire”, was created in the singer’s hometown of Jiaganj, West Bengal.
The track has already crossed half a billion streams globally. “Everyone already knows the story to this but going to Jiaganj Azimganj with my dad to create this with Arijit is one of my favourite memories in my musical career,”Sheeran said. The final track, “Heaven”, features Indian-Canadian singer Jonita Gandhi. “It’s also the first Hindi song I have released. It’s an honour to do it with her — what a talent,” Sheeran said. The EP is now available on all major streaming platforms.
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