Subtract, Ed Sheeran's new album, is finally out, and it features a beautiful song about his oldest daughter, Lyra Antarctica, 212.
Sheeran performed the song for a crowd at Brooklyn's Kings Theatre before of the album's release, highlighting the significance of the fifth tune as it ties to his family life.
He began the song, "Dusty," by saying, "Being a parent is obviously wild and wonderful." Being a parent at times of great suffering... is a big contrast."
After spending late nights visiting a mural dedicated to his late friend, Jamal, the singer-songwriter would "go to bed and cry myself to sleep and wake up at 6 with this ball of energy — this beautiful girl jumping on me and being like, 'Let's listen to music and eat porridge!' and I'm like, 'Yes, that's exactly what I want to do.' "
"That's one of the wonderful things about children; they can really lift your spirits in times like that," he continued.
"Dusty" was inspired by Sheeran and Lyra's morning ritual of listening to a different vinyl record while eating breakfast.
"My daughter and I have this morning routine where we pick a vinyl, put on a vinyl, and eat breakfast while listening to the vinyl, and it was something I looked forward to," Sheeran added. "You know, you'd have a night of real darkness and sadness, and then you wake up to just [a] happy little girl."
He went on to say that their vinyl record collection includes everything from Black Sabbath to Norah Jones.
"I heard you callin', and now my eyes are open," opens the song. "The sky is turning powder blue / Sunlight frames our every move / What a way to start the day with you."
