Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Ed Sheeran continues to roll out singles from his upcoming album, No.6 Collaborations Project, and today he joined forces with Khalid for “Beautiful People.” Produced by Sheeran, Max Martin, Shellback, and Fred Gibson, the song takes on the superficiality of celebrity culture.
On the pre-chorus, Sheeran sings about feeling like an outsider:
We don’t fit in well ‘cause we are just ourselves
I could use some help gettin’ out of this conversation, yeah
You look stunning, dear, so don’t ask that question here
This is my only fear: that we become
Beautiful people
Meanwhile, Khalid’s verse is about finding refuge in real relationships:
L.A., mmm, drove for hours last night and we made it nowhere
I see stars in your eyes when we’re halfway there
I’m not fazed by all them lights and flashin' cameras
‘Cause with my arms around you, there’s no need to care
Despite being one of the world’s most famous pop stars, Sheeran has often eschewed the spotlight. In 2015, he disappeared from all social media platforms and got rid of his cell phone for two years, taking a break to travel the world and forge in-person connections. “Beautiful People” reflects this outlook, with Sheeran and Khalid questioning the depth and meaningfulness of relationships in the glare of the cameras.
No.6 Collaborations Project is set to drop on Friday, July 12, with features from Camila Cabello, Eminem, 50 Cent, Travis Scott, Ella Mai, Justin Bieber, and more. It’s set to be the singer’s first collaborative release since early in his career, when he was known for making spontaneous joint projects with artists like Yelawolf and Amy Wadge.
Listen to the song above and read all the lyrics to Ed Sheeran’s “Beautiful People” featuring Khalid on Genius now.
