Ed Sheeran Collaborates with Iranian Producer Ilya Salmanzadeh

British pop artist Ed Sheeran has released a collaborative single titled ‘Azizam’ with Swedish-Iranian producer and songwriter Ilya Salmanzadeh.

For those unfamiliar, Salmanzadeh has built a reputation as one of the most influential figures in the global music industry, producing hits for artists including Ellie Goulding, Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, and Sam Smith to name a few.

The track, whose title translates to “my dear one” in Farsi, explores the intersection of celebratory Persian and Irish folk elements within a framework of shimmering pop production. Sheeran’s signature percussive guitar riffs—echoing sonic cues from his classic hit ‘Galway Girl’-intertwine smoothly with rhythmic loops of daf and santur melodies, resulting in catchy hooks that stick from the first listen. While the intricate production of ‘Azizam’ draws significant influence from Iranian musical heritage, the song stays within the general structure of Sheeran’s pop template.

It marks, however, a refreshing effort in commercial pop, further demonstrating Sheeran’s penchant for experimenting with cross-cultural collaborations. “Although the song is completely different from any work I’ve done previously, it still sounds familiar to me. I wanted to evoke a lively, celebratory atmosphere, and Ilya helped me achieve this vision. Working with him was really fun,” Sheeran told SceneNoise.

The music video for Azizam, directed by Liam Pethick, depicts Sheeran playfully walking through bustling streets across the US and UK, armed with a heart-shaped pink balloon. His lighthearted and cheerful demeanor reflects the track’s uplifting spirit.