Song Name:
Sapphire

1st Genre:
Pop

2nd Genre:
Punjabi Folk Fusion

Beats per Minute:
94 BPM

Sur Scale:
E Minor with Indian Classical Tones (Raga Pahadi influence)

Estimated Budget:
USD 1.8 Million

Release Date:
5 June 2025

Music Production

Song Title: Sapphire
Primary Artist: Ed Sheeran
Featured Vocalist: Arijit Singh
Album: Play (upcoming, 2025)
Label: Gingerbread Man Records / Atlantic Records UK

Composition & Writing:

• Ed Sheeran – Lead songwriter, melody structure
• Arijit Singh – Punjabi verse lyricist, vocal arrangement (Indian section)
• Johnny McDaid – Co-writer, music arrangement
• Rochak Kohli – Co-writer, Indian musical arrangement
• Amy Wadge – Additional lyrics

Production:

• Fred again.. (Fred Gibson) – Lead producer, instrumental programming
• Rochak Kohli – Indian instrumentation producer (tabla, dhol, sitar)
• Parisi Brothers – Ambient textures, rhythm layering

Engineering & Mixing:

• Mark “Spike” Stent – Lead mix engineer
• Dan Pursey – Vocal recording engineer (London sessions)
• Shantanu Hudlikar – Vocal recording engineer (Arijit’s vocals, Mumbai)
• Stuart Hawkes – Mastering (Metropolis Studios, London)

Musicians:

• Sitar: Purbayan Chatterjee
• Tabla & Percussion: Bikram Ghosh
• Guitar: Ed Sheeran
• Keys/Synth: Fred again..
• Backing Vocals: Emily Wadge, Kavita Seth (uncredited harmony)

Music Video Production Credits

Title: Sapphire
Shoot Locations: Jodhpur (India), Cornwall (UK)
Production Companies:

• India: Dharma 2.0 (Karan Johar’s digital production house)
• UK: Pulse Films

Direction & Creative Team:

• Director: Shaad Ali
• Co-Director (UK scenes): Emil Nava
• Creative Director: Eshita Sood
• Cinematographer (India): Ravi Varman
• Cinematographer (UK): Danny Hiele

Production Design:

• Set Design (India): Aparna Sud
• Set Design (UK): John Beard
• Stylist (Ed Sheeran): Ellie Stidolph
• Stylist (Triptii Dimri): Tanya Ghavri

Cast:

• Ed Sheeran – Himself
• Triptii Dimri – Female Lead
• Ayush Mehra – Supporting Role

Choreography:

• Bosco-Caesar – Traditional fusion dance in palace sequence

Editor:

• Nitin Baid

VFX:

• Red Chillies VFX (India)
• MPC (UK)

Color Grading:

• Company 3 – Grading by Jean-Clement Soret

Release & Distribution:

• Digital Launch: YouTube, Apple Music, JioCinema (India exclusive premiere)
• Broadcast Rights: MTV UK, VH1 India
• Behind-the-Scenes Documentary: The Making of Sapphire (coming to Amazon Prime Video in July 2025)

Music Credits

Artist: Ed Sheeran
Featuring: Arijit Singh
Album: Play
Label: Gingerbread Man Records / Atlantic Records UK
Release Date: 5 June 2025

Post-Production

• VFX (India): Red Chillies VFX
• VFX (UK): MPC Studios
• Grading: Company 3

Distribution

• Digital Premieres: YouTube, Apple Music, JioCinema
• Broadcast Rights: MTV UK, VH1 India
• BTS Documentary: The Making of Sapphire – coming July 2025 on Amazon Prime Video

Reach:

Spotify:
Debuted with 8.6 million streams on Day 1
Currently trending in the Top 20 Global

YouTube:
19.3 million views in the first 72 hours
#2 on Global Trending Music Videos

Melon 24Hits Chart:
Debuted at #13
Highest-ranking international collaboration for June 2025 in Korea

Apple Music:
Top 5 in the UK, India, Australia, and the UAE

Amazon Music:
#1 on “Best of New Releases” in Pop International

Song Lyrics (Original):

Verse 1 (Ed Sheeran):
I found a light in the dark of the night
Something so rare it reflects in your eyes
Hold me close where the silence sings
In your heart, I found everything

Chorus (Ed Sheeran & Arijit Singh):
Sapphire, you burn through my soul
Deep like the ocean, beyond control
Tera naam leke, main jiyoon zindagi
Sapphire, you’re the rhythm in me

Verse 2 (Arijit Singh – Punjabi):
Tere bina adhoora sa lagda
Ve tu hi ae jithe mera dil jagda
Raataan nu yaadaan vich doobeya
Tera pyaar main saah vich roopeya

Bridge (Both):
When the stars fall and the world slows down
You’re the only sound I hear now
Sapphire… oh, Sapphire

Song Lyrics (Translation in English):

Verse 1 (Ed Sheeran):
I found a light in the dark of the night
Something so rare it reflects in your eyes
Hold me close where the silence sings
In your heart, I found everything

Chorus (Ed Sheeran & Arijit Singh):
Sapphire, you burn through my soul
Deep like the ocean, beyond control
Taking your name, I live my life
Sapphire, you’re the rhythm in me

Verse 2 (Arijit Singh – Punjabi):
Without you, I feel incomplete
You are where my heart belongs
In the nights, I drown in memories
Your love flows within my breath

Bridge (Both):
When the stars fall and the world slows down
You’re the only sound I hear now
Sapphire… oh, Sapphire

Review

Sapphire” is a masterful blend of soulful British pop and rich Indian folk elements. Ed Sheeran’s heartfelt lyrics and delicate vocal delivery are beautifully complemented by Arijit Singh’s emotive Punjabi verse, giving the track a global yet deeply personal appeal. The soft acoustic guitar interwoven with tabla rhythms and ambient sitar notes creates a transcultural soundscape that feels both fresh and timeless.

Critics have praised the track for its emotional resonance and musical experimentation. The visual storytelling in the music video, with contrasting landscapes of Rajasthan and the English coast, further enhances the song’s metaphor of love shining like a sapphire through darkness and distance.

This cross-cultural collaboration is being hailed as a milestone for mainstream Western and Indian music intersections. With strong chart performances and social media buzz, “Sapphire” is expected to become one of the defining singles of 2025.