'This is the joy the world needs right now': Ed Sheeran wins hearts with India-inspired single

Ed Sheeran’s latest single Sapphire has struck a deep emotional chord with listeners — especially in India, where fans are celebrating the way he’s honoured the country’s culture, sights, and soundscapes.Shot across his India tour earlier this year, the music video unfolds like a vibrant travel diary — from rickshaw rides to roadside chai, dhol beats to dance breaks — with a surprise cameo by Shah Rukh Khan that left the internet buzzing.But what’s made this release truly special for Indian fans is Sheeran’s openness about the creative process. “I finished the recording process in Goa surrounded by some of the best musicians in India.

It was an incredible creative process,” he wrote on Instagram.He also revealed the album’s most emotional collaboration: a duet with Arijit Singh. “The final jigsaw piece for me was getting Arijit on the record... We’ve done a full Punjabi version that’s coming soon,” Sheeran shared, adding that Sapphire is his personal favourite from the album Play.The response has been nothing short of euphoric.“This is the joy the world needs right now,” one fan wrote, while another said, “This has to be the best way a Western artist has acknowledged Indian culture."

A third simply summed it up: “You know when a song just makes you happy – this is it.”For Indian fans, the appreciation is deeply personal. “Thank you for opening up the world to us,” read one comment. Another user added, “I knew the MV would be amazing, but I saw much more than I expected. So happy you explored India, and there’s always space for more.”From surprise cameos to seamless cultural fusion, Sapphire feels less like a music video and more like a love letter — not just to India, but to the idea of finding beauty through collaboration. With the Punjabi version set to drop soon, fans are already calling it their song of the summer.