Ed Sheeran’s ‘Play’: A Potential UK Swansong Blasting Off to America – Adrian Thrills Reviews

This version retains the core elements—album title, swansong implication, impactful transition to America, and reviewer credit—while streamlining the structure for clarity and concision.

Ed Sheeran: Play (Gingerbread Man)
Verdict: Pop with emotional punch
Rating: ★★★★☆

Ed Sheeran’s eighth album, Play, marks a vibrant return to upbeat pop after the introspective acoustic tones of 2023’s Subtract and Autumn Variations. Amid personal shifts—including plans to relocate his family to the U.S.—the album blends Sheeran’s signature storytelling with global influences, featuring bhangra rhythms, Hindi verses, and Persian instrumentation.

The opening track, Open, sets the tone with reflections on loss, love, and resilience. Sheeran candidly addresses grief over friend Jamal Edwards’ passing, his wife Cherry Seaborn’s health struggles, and career pressures: “If I look down, I can see replacements / All I need is Chez and my daughters.” Collaborations shine, like Sapphire with Indian singer Arijit Singh and the Persian-inspired Azizam, showcasing Sheeran’s evolving sound.

Nostalgic moments remain, such as Old Phone, a bittersweet ode to past relationships, and the anthemic Camera. While In Other Words leans into sentimentality, Play balances catchy hooks with emotional depth, proving Sheeran’s knack for reinvention. If this is his farewell to the UK before moving stateside, he’s departing on a high.

[Image: Ed Sheeran performing live, caption: Play blends global sounds with Sheeran’s signature pop.]
[Image: Album cover art for Play, caption: A bold new chapter in Sheeran’s discography.]

Jade: That’s Showbiz Baby! (RCA)
Verdict: Assured solo bow
Rating: ★★★★☆

Jade Thirlwall, formerly of Little Mix, stakes her solo claim with That’s Showbiz Baby!, a daring debut that defies expectations. Lead single Angel of My Dreams—a frenetic mix of pop, rap, and a Sandie Shaw sample—won her a BRIT Award and set the tone for an album brimming with bold experimentation.

Tracks like It Girl and Before You Break My Heart (featuring a Supremes sample) highlight Jade’s newfound creative freedom, while Plastic Box merges pulsating electronics with raw vulnerability. Though Lip Service leans generic, standout moments like the lupus-inspired Unconditional showcase her depth. Lyrically, she grapples with fame’s duality: “Selling my soul to a psycho… it feels nice in the spotlight.”

[Image: Jade Thirlwall in a glamorous photoshoot, caption: Jade embraces bold experimentation in her solo debut.]
[Image: Jade performing Angel of My Dreams, caption: The BRIT-winning single redefines her post-Little Mix career.]

Both albums deliver fresh energy: Sheeran’s Play merges global flair with heartfelt lyricism, while Jade’s solo venture proves she’s more than a “baby doll” of pop’s past.

Ed Sheeran’s Play and Jade’s That’s Showbiz Baby! are out now.