Azizam (song)
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Azizam
| cover = Ed Sheeran - Azizam.png
| type = single
| artist = Ed Sheeran
| album = Play
| B-side = Crashing
| released = {{start date|2025|04|04|df=y}}
| recorded =
| genre = Electropop{{cite web |last1=Cardenas |first1=Ashley |title=Ed Sheeran's newest single "Azizam" is a cross-cultural love song |url=https://www.melodicmag.com/2025/04/10/ed-sheerans-newest-single-azizam-is-a-cross-cultural-love-song/ |website=Melodic Magazine |date=10 April 2025 |access-date=21 May 2025}}
| length = 2:42
| label =
| writer =
- Ed Sheeran
- Ilya Salmanzadeh
- Johnny McDaid
- Savan Kotecha
| producer =
- Ed Sheeran
- Ilya
- Johnny McDaid
- Savan Kotecha
| prev_title = Under the Tree
| prev_year = 2024
| next_title = Old Phone
| next_year = 2025
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|MI9ZpIKgyf0|"Azizam"}}}}
}}
"Azizam" ({{Translation|My beloved}}) is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 4 April 2025 under Sheeran's own label Gingerbread Man Records and distributed by Warner Records as the lead single from his upcoming eighth studio album, Play.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/ed-sheeran-confirms-new-single-is-coming-next-month-reveals-upcoming-song-titles-3845335 |title=Ed Sheeran confirms new single is coming "next month", reveals upcoming song titles |last=Dunworth |first=Liberty |magazine=NME |date=11 March 2025 |access-date=21 March 2025}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/ed-sheeran-tease-new-album-title-play-1235902555/|title=Ed Sheeran Has Seemingly Revealed the Title of His Next Album|last=Smith|first=Thomas|magazine=Billboard|date=14 February 2025|access-date=20 March 2025}} The track was written and produced by Sheeran, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Johnny McDaid, and Savan Kotecha.{{Cite web |last=Marzi |first=Mattia |date=4 April 2025 |title=La nuova (vecchia) era di Ed Sheeran: ecco il singolo "Azizam" |trans-title=Ed Sheeran's new (old) era: here's the single "Azizam" |url=https://www.rockol.it/news-751092/ed-sheeran-azizam-nuovo-singolo-recensione-testo |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=Rockol |language=it}} The Persian version of the song featuring Iranian singer Googoosh was released on 18 April 2025. The CD single and 7-inch single was issued on 2 May 2025, including exclusive bonus track "Crashing".{{cite web|url=https://store.edsheeran.com/gb/azizam-cd-single/5021732727046.html|title=Azizam CD single|website=store.edsheeran.com|access-date=2 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://store.edsheeran.com/gb/azizam-7%22-single/5021732727053.html|title=Azizam 7" single|website=store.edsheeran.com|access-date=2 May 2025}} "Azizam" debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Sheeran's 42nd top 10 hit in his home country.
Composition
The word "azizam" ({{lang|fa|عزیزم}}) originates from the Persian language and literally translates to "my dear" or "my beloved".{{cite web|last=Griffiths|first=George|date=20 March 2025|title=Ed Sheeran's new single: What does Azizam mean? Persian term and origin explained|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/what-does-azizam-mean-ed-sheeran-new-single-explained/|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=21 March 2025}}{{Cite magazine |last=Zemler |first=Emily |date=4 April 2025 |title=Ed Sheeran Drops 'Playful' New Single 'Azizam' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ed-sheeran-azizam-single-play-1235310617/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} The track features a vibrant dance beat with Persian music influences.{{cite magazine|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/english/music/news/ed-sheeran-teases-new-single-azizam-ahead-of-eighth-album-release/articleshow/119241061.cms|title=Ed Sheeran teases new single 'Azizam' ahead of eighth album release|magazine=The Times of India|date=20 March 2025|access-date=20 March 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Savage |first=Mark |date=4 April 2025 |title=Ed Sheeran launches 'playful' new era with Persian-influenced song, Azizam |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgen9n0ywgqo |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=BBC News}} Several Iranian and Indian artists took part in the recording of the song, playing instruments like ghatam, daf, santoor, hammered dulcimer, or lute, and singing backing vocals.{{Cite web |last=Nasto |first=Vincenzo |date=9 April 2025 |title=Testo, traduzione e significato di Azizam, Ed Sheeran abbraccia la cultura persiana nella nuova canzone |trans-title=Lyrics, translation and meaning of Azizam, Ed Sheeran embraces Persian culture in new song |url=https://www.fanpage.it/cultura/testo-traduzione-e-significato-di-azizam-labbraccio-di-ed-sheeran-alla-cultura-persiana/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=Fanpage.it |language=it}}{{Cite web |last=Beaumont |first=Mark |date=12 April 2025 |title=Ed Sheeran's Persian pop experiment 'Azizam' proves he's too big to fail |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/ed-sheeran-azizam-lyrics-meaning-charts-b2730999.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=The Independent}} "Azizam" was inspired by Sheeran's wife and their love affair.{{cite web |date=23 February 2025 |title=Ed Sheeran has new song ready inspired by wife |url=https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/musicnews/sheeran-new-song-ready-inspired-wife-1414153.html |access-date=20 March 2025 |website=femalefirst.co.uk}} The singer explained the meaning of the song and its composition process on his social media pages:{{Cite web |last=Skinner |first=Tom |date=4 April 2025 |title=Ed Sheeran brings "party atmosphere" on "celebratory" new single 'Azizam' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/ed-sheeran-brings-party-atmosphere-on-celebratory-new-single-azizam-3851836 |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=NME}}
"Even though it’s completely different to anything that I’ve ever done before, "Azizam" feels familiar to me. I wanted to create a party atmosphere in a song and Ilya Salmanzadeh, who I worked with on the track, helped bring that to life. He was so inspiring to work with. I wrote ‘Azizam’ after [Salmanzadeh] suggested trying out making music inspired by his Persian heritage and culture. I love learning about music and different cultures the more I travel and connect with people. It was like opening a door to a completely new and exciting world. I loved how a lot of rhythms, scales, melodies and instruments were different but similar to the Irish trad music I had grown up with. It was showing to me music connects us all, and really is a universal language".
Promotion
On 15 March 2025, he debuted "Azizam" during a surprise street performance in New Orleans.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/ed-sheerannew-orleans-unreleased-song-1235923309/|title=Ed Sheeran Surprises New Orleans with Unreleased Song 'Azizam'|last=Lynch|first=Jessica|magazine=Billboard|date=17 March 2025|access-date=21 March 2025}} Four days later, a 30-second snippet of "Azizam" premiered on YouTube.{{cite web |date=19 March 2025 |title=Azizam (Preview) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MszH-Y-Na6g |access-date=20 March 2025 |publisher=YouTube}}
Critical reception
Reviewing "Azizam" for The Guardian, Alexis Petridis wrote that the song at first instance appears to be a non-commercial tune but "once you hear the end result, it has pretty much the same relation to Persian music as 'Galway Girl' did to sean-nós singing" stressing that the "Middle Eastern cast to a counter-melody that appears during the chorus, but the rest is positively Anglo-Saxon".{{Cite web |last=Petridis |first=Alexis |author-link=Alexis Petridis |date=4 April 2025 |title=Ed Sheeran: Azizam review – a cross-cultural Persian experiment … which sounds incredibly English |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/apr/04/ed-sheeran-azizam-review-a-cross-cultural-persian-experiment-which-sounds-incredibly-english |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=The Guardian}}
Music video
On 4 April 2025, Sheeran released the "Pink Heart Video" of "Azizam", directed by Liam Pethick.{{cite web |date=4 April 2025 |title=Azizam (Pink Heart Video) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_48vyHWls4 |access-date=13 April 2025 |publisher=YouTube}} It was filmed mainly in the United States, during the promotion of the single in March 2025.
The official music video was released on 17 April 2025.{{cite web |date=17 April 2025 |title=Azizam (Official Music Video) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI9ZpIKgyf0 |access-date=18 April 2025 |publisher=YouTube}} It was filmed in South London in mid-February 2025,{{Cite web |last=Dresdale |first=Andrea |date=4 April 2025 |title=Ed Sheeran releases new song 'Azizam' with a fun video: Watch here |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/ed-sheeran-releases-new-song-azizam-fun-video/story?id=120496884 |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=ABC News}} after Sheeran finished the Indian leg of his ongoing +–=÷× Tour, and directed by Iranian-American filmmaker, Saman Kesh.{{Cite web |date=4 April 2025 |title=Azizam the song is out |url=https://www.instagram.com/saman_kesh/p/DICTd8OSMHu/?img_index=2 |access-date=4 April 2025 |publisher=Instagram}} The Persian wedding-themed video stars Googoosh, Andy, Omid Djalili, Eyelar, Ilya Salmanzadeh and Shervin Alenabi.
Track listing
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.{{Cite web |title=Azizam / Ed Sheeran |date=4 April 2025 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/427520486/credits |publisher=Tidal |access-date=13 April 2025}}
- Ed Sheeran – songwriting, production, vocal producer, lead vocals, guitar, backing vocals
- Ilya Salmanzadeh – songwriting, production, bass, drums, keyboards, backing vocals, programming, engineering
- Johnny McDaid – songwriting, production, guitar, backing vocals
- Savan Kotecha – songwriting, production, backing vocals
- Graham Archer – vocal producer
- Ganesh Murali – ghatam, tambourine
- Jayesh Kathak – daf
- Tapas Ray – santoor, hammered dulcimer, lute
- Andy – backing vocals
- Arash – backing vocals
- Elvira Anderfjärd – backing vocals
- Eyelar Mirzazadeh – backing vocals
- Luka Kloser – backing vocals
- Citizens of the World Choir – choral backing vocals
- Graham Archer – engineering
- Jeremy Lertola – assistant engineer
- Nick Rose – assistant engineer
- Will Reynolds – assistant engineer
- Serban Ghenea – mixer
- Bryce Bordone – assistant mixing engineer
- Stuart Hawkes – mastering
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col 2}}
=Monthly charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Azizam"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|artist=Ed Sheeran|title=Azizam|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2025|certyear=2025|certref={{Cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/singles-chart/2025-06-09|title=ARIA Top 50 Singles for week of 9 June 2025|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|access-date=7 June 2025}}|access-date=7 June 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Ed Sheeran|title=Azizam|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2025|certyear=2025|access-date=9 June 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=Ed Sheeran|title=Azizam|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2025|certyear=2025|access-date=3 July 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Ed Sheeran|title=Azizam|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2025|certyear=2025|id=21078-2403-1|access-date=11 July 2025}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}
Release history
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ed Sheeran songs}}
Category:Gingerbread Man Records singles
Category:Warner Records singles
Category:Number-one singles in Colombia
Category:Number-one singles in the Commonwealth of Independent States
Category:Number-one singles in Israel
Category:Number-one singles in Latvia
Category:Number-one singles in Poland
Category:Number-one singles in Romania
Category:Song recordings produced by Ed Sheeran
Category:Song recordings produced by Ilya Salmanzadeh
Category:Song recordings produced by Savan Kotecha
Category:Songs written by Ed Sheeran
Category:Songs written by Ilya Salmanzadeh
Category:Songs written by Johnny McDaid