How Ed Sheeran’s Copyright Lawsuit Inspired New Song: Singer Recalls Moments with Taylor Swift, One Direction and More

Ed Sheeran has revealed that his upcoming single, Old Phone, was inspired by his copyright lawsuit experience. The singer took to Instagram to share a series of throwback photos and announce the launch of a new Instagram account ahead of the song’s release on Thursday, April 29. The account features unseen pictures, lyric notes, and messages from the past, giving fans a closer look into his emotional journey.

Sheeran shared that he found inspiration for the song while going through his old phone, which was handed over to lawyers during his copyright trial. “When I got sued, the judge ordered me to give up my old devices,” he wrote. “In the process, I switched on my old phone.”

The lawsuit was related to his 2014 hit Thinking Out Loud, which was accused of copying Marvin Gaye's Let’s Get It On. In 2023, Ed Sheeran was cleared in court. But revisiting his old phone during the legal process brought back unexpected emotions.

“The first message was from my friend Jamal Edwards, who had recently passed away,” he wrote. “The second was from my ex-girlfriend. The third was a family member I haven’t spoken to in a decade.”

Sheeran admitted that scrolling through the messages felt like opening a time capsule from 2015. He added that he found himself crying at messages to friends who are not with him anymore. He said, “It felt like a time of life I was living then.”

Along with the song announcement, Ed shared photos with friends such as Taylor Swift, One Direction, and the late Jamal Edwards. He reflected that the memories brought back feelings about people he had once been close to but had since lost touch with or who had passed away. He mentioned finding old photos from that time and feeling emotional about those past connections.

Old Phone was written during a late-night session in India at 2 a.m. while he was finishing work on his new album. He said the song felt like it belonged on his debut album but added that it was something he couldn’t have written until he had gone through real-life experiences.

The new single is part of Ed Sheeran’s upcoming eighth studio album, Play, which is expected to be released in 2025. He has shared plans to release a new song each month leading up to the album’s launch. The first track, Azizam, was released on April 4.

To promote the music, Sheeran surprised fans in London with a live performance outside King’s Cross Station, wearing a pink T-shirt and performing in front of a large pink heart backdrop, as per the Daily Mail. He also toured the city on a pink double-decker bus, playing popular songs like Shape of You and Perfect.

ALSO READ: Taylor Swift DISSES Kanye West in 2013 Note to Bestie Ed Sheeran; Fans Reveal Hidden Message in Throwback Post