Ed Sheeran reveals ‘heartbreaking’ inspiration behind new album after legal fallout

The 42-year-old singer explained that he made the decision nearly a decade ago and hasn’t looked back since.

The four-time Grammy winner opened up about his decision to ditch his phone during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on March 26.

Ed Sheeran revealed that the turning point came during a legal battle over his hit song Thinking Out Loud, where he was required to hand over his devices as part of the copyright case. Fortunately, the case wrapped up in his favor in 2023.

“I switched it off in 2015 and left it in a box,” Ed shared.

“The first text was from a friend who passed away the year before. The second was an argument with an ex-girlfriend, the third from a family member I hadn’t spoken to in 10 years,” the Perfect hitmaker recalled, adding: “The fourth was another friend who had died.”

The wave of memories inspired Ed Sheeran to write ‘Old Phone’, a song that mixes both emotional moments and the little annoyances of daily life.