Ed Sheeran has announced he is set to play Dublin’s 3Arena at the end of this month ahead of the release of his new album.
The UK singer announced at short notice that he will play at the Dublin venue on March 30 as part of a two-month European tour.
He also confirmed Subtract will be released on May 5, marking his sixth studio album.
The Dublin gig will also feature Irish singer-songwriter Cian Ducrot, who has been shortlisted for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize's Irish Breakthrough Artist of the Year award, in addition to his nomination for Irish Song of the Year for 'All For You'.
The announcements come in the wake of the shocking news that Ed’s wife Cherry Seaborn was diagnosed with a tumour while she was pregnant with the couple’s second child and couldn’t be treated until after the birth of their daughter.
He said he "spiralled" into depression last year, after his wife’s diagnosis and his friend Jamal Edwards died unexpectedly at the age of 31.
He said on social media: “Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumour, with no route for treatment until after the birth. My best friend Jamal, a brother to me, died suddenly, and I found myself in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter.
“I was spiralling through fear, depression and anxiety,” the artist continued. “I felt like I was drowning, head below the surface, looking but not being able to break through for air.”
He added that he had spent a decade “trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album,” but over a week he replaced all that work with his “deepest, darkest thoughts.”
Sheeran said his new album, Subtract, is “opening the trapdoor into my soul.”
“For the first time, I’m not trying to craft an album people will like. I’m merely putting something out that’s honest and true to where I am in my adult life,” he added.
Tickets for his 3Arena date go on sale via Ticketmaster on Friday, March 10th at 9am.
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