Ed Sheeran, a Universal Artist: ‘AZIZAM’ Is the Global No. 1 on LOS40

Share:

Ed Sheeran’s music knows no borders. His latest single, AZIZAM, has just reached a major milestone: it’s now the No. 1 Global hit on LOS40, the top music network in the Spanish-speaking world.

While Ed already has several chart-topping songs across Spain, Latin America, and the U.S., this is the first time a solo single of his has claimed the top spot in every single LOS40 country—11 in total. (In 2022, he earned the title through his feature on Camila Cabello’s Bam Bam.)

AZIZAM means “my dear” or “my love” in Persian, and it dropped on April 4 as the lead single from Ed’s upcoming album PLAY, which is set to release on September 12. This album marks a fresh start for him, following the end of his famous series of albums based on mathematical symbols.

According to Ed, the song was inspired by producer Ilya Salmanzadeh, who encouraged him to explore Persian music and culture.
“He told me to try something based on his Persian roots, and I loved the idea,” Ed said. “I’m always curious to learn about new sounds and traditions, especially through travel and meeting new people.”

Ed described AZIZAM as a kind of personal discovery: “It felt like stepping into a completely new world. I was surprised by how some of the rhythms and melodies reminded me of traditional Irish music from my childhood. It reminded me that music really is a universal language.”

The official music video (not the ‘Pink Heart version’) was also Ilya’s idea. In it, Ed appears alongside his dad and a group of friends, celebrating what looks like a vibrant Persian wedding. “I reached out to director Saman Kesh and asked him to create a video that felt like a crash course in Persian weddings. I wanted it to feel like someone experiencing that culture for the first time—lively and fun.”

Ed even noticed some unexpected similarities with the Irish weddings he grew up attending. To top it all off, the video features a special cameo from Googoosh, a legendary Iranian pop icon. She and Ed also recorded a Persian version of AZIZAM, which helped propel the song to the No. 1 Global spot on LOS40.