Ed Sheeran Explains Why He Writes Brutally Honest Songs About His Marriage

Ed Sheeran is openly discussing his decision to write songs that reflect the real difficulties in his relationship with his wife, Cherry Seaborn.

The singer-songwriter recently added a deluxe edition to his latest album, Play, and the new tracks quickly fueled public speculation about marital strife due to their raw, honest lyrics.

Ed Sheeran insists he embraces this honesty to depict a modern, realistic partnership, not one that is constantly perfect.

The core conflict Ed Sheeran explores in his new music comes from the struggle to balance his global career with his role as a husband and father.

His lengthy, three-year "Mathematics" World Tour put a significant strain on his home life with Seaborn, whom he married in 2018, and their two young daughters, Lyra and Jupiter.

Several of the new songs address these pressures directly.

The track "Problems" hints at the issues the couple faced with lyrics like, "You want the truth, we’re not fine. We got problems, and we don’t know how to solve them."

In "War Game," Sheeran sings about the feeling of being emotionally depleted, confessing, "Every day we feel deflated... But I feel that it’s not enough to just offer you my love."

He even mentions being "inches from movin' out and movin' on," reflecting the intensity of their difficulties.

Furthermore, the song "Regrets" reveals his guilt over being away from his children, telling his daughters, “Every time I leave the house, you think I’m forever gone.”

He expresses sorrow over missing important moments and needing to make it up to them.

Despite the deeply personal struggles detailed in the lyrics, Ed Sheeran has defended his marriage, emphasizing that his family is his number one priority.

He points out that he has managed to achieve a "perfect balance" by bringing his family along on his tours.

The musician stated that his life "only works when we're together" and that his family life takes precedence over his work.

The new songs, therefore, serve as a journal of real conflict and emotional turbulence that the couple overcame, with other tracks like "Rapture" offering messages of hope and enduring love.

By sharing these unpolished details, Ed Sheeran continues his signature brand of vulnerable songwriting, but this time, he is applying it to the reality of his life as a touring father and husband.