Ed Sheeran Reflects On 7th Anniversary Of Album “Divide,” Reveals Rihanna Inspired Chart-Topping “Shape Of You”

Ed Sheeran took a trip down memory lane as he marked the seventh anniversary of his acclaimed album, ÷ (pronounced Divide). Sharing a series of throwback photos on Instagram, Ed reminisced about the creation process and the moments surrounding the album’s release. His lookback includes a heartfelt shout-out to Rihanna for inspiring the hit single Shape of You.

The journey through nostalgia kicked off with a delightful snapshot of Ed and the superstar Rihanna at the 2017 Grammys, radiating smiles and joy. Captioning the image, Sheeran revealed how he had shared with Rihanna that Shape of You was initially crafted with her in mind.

During a BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show interview in 2017, Ed disclosed that while working on the song, he felt it would suit Rihanna’s style. However, as the lyrics evolved, it became evident that the song was more aligned with his own vibe, especially as it was dedicated to his wife, Cherry Seaborn.

In the Photographs singer’s words, “We were writing this song and I was like, ‘This would really work for Rihanna,’” he shared at the time. “And then I started singing lyrics like, ‘Putting Van the Man on the jukebox,’ and I was like, ‘Well, she’s not really going to sing that, is she?’ And then we sort of decided halfway through that we were just going to make it for me.”

The celebration continued with glimpses of key figures involved in the album’s success, including dancer Jennie Pegouskie from the Shape of You music video, and co-writers Johnny McDaid of Snow Patrol and Steve Mac. Ed even shared a moment of toasting with a bottle of champagne, symbolizing the song’s worldwide chart-topping success.

Among the anniversary reflections were fond memories from the Divide tour, including a humorous anecdote of playing football with former Brazilian national players during his birthday in Brazil.

Ed surprised fans by dropping off signed Divide vinyls at independent record stores in Jakarta, Indonesia, as part of his current Asian tour. Documenting the excursion in a lively video, he expressed gratitude for the journey over the past seven years with the caption, “years of Divide today, time flies eh. To celebrate I went to some indie record stores in Jakarta and hid some signed vinyls in them, and tried on some sunnies, too jazzy?”

Divide debuted triumphantly atop the Billboard 200 charts, producing chart-topping hits like Perfect and the iconic Shape of You, which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks. The album earned Ed a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album, while Shape of You secured the trophy for Best Pop Solo Performance.

Even after seven years, Divide continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, solidifying its place as one of the most streamed albums on Spotify.