During his wife Cherry's second pregnancy, Ed Sheeran disclosed that she had a tumor that had to be removed after she gave birth.

This was one of several life-altering events that Sheeran experienced in February of the previous year.

In an Instagram post, the singer of "Thinking Out Loud" shared how his struggles and pain from the previous year influenced his newest album, Subtract.

"I had been working on Subtract for a decade, trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs with a clear vision of what I thought it should be," he wrote.

"Then at the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art."

According to the star, songwriting is his form of therapy that aids him in comprehending his emotions. Sheeran also mentioned:

"I wrote without thought of what the songs would be, I just wrote whatever tumbled out. And in just over a week, I replaced a decade's worth of work with my deepest darkest thoughts."

Sheeran reminisced about an exceedingly challenging month in which his wife, who was expecting at the time, experienced a health scare, his closest friend passed away, and he had to attend court.

"Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumor, with no route to treatment until after the birth."

"My best friend Jamal, a brother to me, died suddenly and I found myself standing in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter. I was spiraling through fear, depression, and anxiety."

The founder of SBTV, Jamal Edwards, was a dear friend of Sheeran. SBTV, an online music platform, aided in launching the careers of several musicians including Sheeran, Dave, and Jessie J.

"I felt like I was drowning, head below the surface, looking up but not being able to break through for air," Ed added.

"As an artist, I didn't feel like I could credibly put a body of work into the world that didn't accurately represent where I am and how I need to express myself at this point in my life."

Regarding his forthcoming music project, Sheeran stated:

"This album is purely that. It's 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 explained.

"This is last February's diary entry and my way of making sense of it. This is Subtract."

Sheeran and Cherry joyfully welcomed their second child, Jupiter, as the newest member of their family in May of the previous year. Their first child, Lyra, was born in September 2020.

In an Instagram post, Sheeran shared the news with his followers, saying: "Want to let you all know we've had another beautiful baby girl. We are both so in love with her, and over the moon to be a family of 4."

Sheeran's latest album, Subtract, is scheduled to be released on May 5, 2023, through Asylum/Atlantic.