Ed Sheeran has released a new song, “Afterglow”, his first since a nearly 18 months break from music

The British singer, 29, surprised his fans on Monday morning after teasing them that he had a surprise for them on the way.

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The Shape of You singer shared his Jackson Pollock-inspired painting on Instagram, the artwork for the single, and told fans he would give them a Christmas present.

He wrote: ’11am GMT tomorrow. A Christmas present.’

And he’s since shared the uplifting song which is available on all major streaming services along with the music video, a one-take performance of the track.

He wrote: “Hey guys. 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. Back to dad land for me now, ciao x (sic)”

Watch the music video for “Afterglow” below:

It is the first new music for the pop phenomenon since his 2019 album No.6 Collaborations Project which featured the likes of Stormzy, Khalid, Cardi B, Chance the Rapper and Eminem, and comes a year after the singer-songwriter announced his hiatus from music.

In August 2019, Ed Sheeran announced his hiatus from music after more than 250 performances on the road. He announced he needed a break to focus on his family.

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