Fans are holding “onto the afterglow” that Ed Sheeran has shared with the universe with his new single “Afterglow.”
The song which has a mellow melody, exudes a feeling of intimacy during an emotional time between loved ones.
“You should see the way the light dances off your head / A million colors of hazel, golden and red / Saturday morning is fading / The sun’s reflected by the coffee in your hand / My eyes are caught in your gaze all over again,” he sings.
Sheeran continues: “We were love drunk, waiting on a miracle / Trying to find ourselves in the winter snow / So alone in love like the world had disappeared / Oh, I won’t be silent and I won’t let go / I will hold on tighter ’til the afterglow / And we’ll burn so bright ’til the darkness softly clears.”
The song, which the singer dubbed a “Christmas present” in an Instagram announcement Sunday, preceded a video he put up Monday of himself singing the song that will stand apart from an album.
“Hey guys,” Sheeran wrote. “Afterglow is a song I wrote last year that I wanted to release for you. It’s not the first single from the next album, it’s just a song I love, and hope you love too. Enjoy ! Have a safe and happy festive break and New Year’s.”
The song begins with the phrase, “stop the clocks, it’s amazing.” And that first lyric may as well describe the track that has fans showing the British musician love on social media.
Johnny Drille said on Twitter that “Ed Sheeran’s new song is the most beautiful thing I heard this whole year.”
Twitter user @KristanBurkhill, seemed to agree, writing that the song was “just what we needed” and thanked Sheeran.
And @monounivers added: “I have been so stressed all day bc of my exams but Ed dropped a new song which made my anxiety disappear.”
Another, @Bestvisiontv, called Sheeran’s newest a “christmas miracle” adding that the artist himself is a miracle, too.
“i’m ready for ed sheeran to dominate the world again,” Ryan Meaney wrote on Twitter.
And @elleinthenet pointed out with a gif the emotions that the song brings out.
Other users pointed out the similarities between Sheeran and Taylor Swift, who released a surprise album earlier this month.
“Wait both Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift released songs this year called Afterglow… is this a possible collab?????” @galwayygirlz wondered on Twitter.
Sheeran, a new father, ended his post Monday by saying that he was heading “back to dad land.”
The 29-year-old singer and his wife Cherry Seaborn welcomed a new addition to the family in September.
He revealed the news in an Instagram post displaying a tiny pair of navy socks that they welcomed a baby girl.
“Ello! A quick message from me as I have some personal news that I wanted to share with you,” Sheeran captioned the post, his first since he announced a social media hiatus last Christmas Eve. “Last week, with the help of an amazing delivery team, Cherry gave birth to our beautiful and healthy daughter – Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran. We are completely in love with her.”
Sheeran and Seaborn have known each other since childhood and attended high school together.
“Both mum and baby are doing amazing and we are on cloud nine over here,” Sheeran added. “We hope that you can respect our privacy at this time. Lots of love and I’ll see you when it’s time to come back, Ed x”
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY
