Sheeran Collaborates With Rock Legends for a High-Octane Single
Ed Sheeran has returned with a new track, Drive, which was released ahead of the F1 movie. Produced by guitarist John Mayer and famous hitmaker Blake Slatkin, the song will be featured as one of the singles on F1: The Album, which will officially be released on June 27 through Atlantic Records. However, contrary to the typical Sheeran concept of acoustic balladry, "Drive" is performed in a bold rock style and features not just a plethora of musicians outside the box, but John Mayer on guitar, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters on drums, Pino Palladino on bass, and Rami Jaffee on keys. Nevertheless, it's Sheeran's emotive vocals and lyrics that have made Drive a special one that still conveys deep-felt emotion.
How “Drive” Came Together So Quickly in the Studio
In a recent interview, Ed Sheeran described shooting "Drive" as "almost like it happened in an instant," adding the song "fell out of us" after watching F1: The Movie together. He describes how Mayer immediately laid down the song's riff using an octave pedal to give the piece the electric guitar sound it needed. Slatkin added keyboard layers and programmed drums to the structure. Since these two creative outlets in May and June are notable, as Sheeran can usually spend a long amount of time perfecting a single, he must usually be content with a longer time to come up with ideas as an artist. The drive was written in one rush of inspiration, but still sounds very polished, displaying a new direction from the (formerly) Number one singer-songwriter.
F1: The Album Brings Together Diverse Artists
Most importantly, F1: The Album is not solely about Sheeran. The soundtrack features a diverse array of global artists, including Don Toliver, whose collaboration with Doja Cat, Lose My Mind is featured, as well as Chris Stapleton, Rosé, Roddy Ricch, Tate McRae, Burna Boy, Myke Towers, and RAYE. Unlike your average film soundtrack, this one looks to merge flavors and cultures, aiming for fans in both the pop, rock, and hip-hop realms. Kevin Weaver, the president of West Coast operations at Atlantic Records and a four-time Grammy winner known for Barbie: The Album, oversaw the album's creation with Brandon Davis and Joseph Khoury. Their vision was to help create "that same musical feeling you get with a Formula 1 experience."
