Ed Sheeran expressed reluctance toward political themes in U2 collaboration

Bono has revealed that Ed Sheeran expressed reluctance to engage in political themes during the recording of ‘Yours Eternally’, a track from U2’s EP ‘Days of Ash’. According to the U2 frontman, Sheeran sought to avoid direct involvement in political issues during the collaboration.

The song is written from the perspective of a soldier on the front lines and features Ukrainian musician Taras Topolia, who is also a member of the Ukrainian armed forces. Bono noted that while Sheeran initially stated, ‘You’re not going to get me into politics, are you?’, the project was ultimately inspired by the real-life experiences of soldiers.

These comments come amid recent public discussions regarding the role of musicians in political activism, following controversy surrounding Sheeran’s recent US tour support acts and their expressions of solidarity regarding the conflict in Gaza.