Ed Sheeran and Karan Aujla Are About To Drop The Most Unexpected Banger of the Year

It’s no secret that British singer-songwriter and global music icon Ed Sheeran has a soft spot for India. His recent collaboration with Arijit Singh on Sapphire from the album Play has had us hooked for months. And if that wasn’t enough, his impromptu attempt to sing a few lines from Diljit Dosanjh’s “Lover” during a live show? Pure charm.

But if you thought that's all for Ed this year, you couldn't have been more wrong. Now, the popstar is officially teaming up with Punjabi music powerhouse Karan Aujla for a genre-defying collaboration, set to release in October 2025. The highly anticipated track, which blends Sheeran’s melodic pop sensibilities with Aujla’s punchy Punjabi lyricism and swagger, will feature on the deluxe edition of Sheeran’s recently released album, Play.

The collaboration marks one of the most high-profile Indo-Western musical crossovers in recent memory and underscores Sheeran’s continued push into South Asian musical territory and bringing it to the global stage.

“Do you know what, I found learning bits that I’ve sung in Punjabi… one, the kind of melodic language it is even without melody, but also how poetic it is,” Sheeran said in a recent interview with BBC Asian Network, teasing the upcoming release.

Sheeran also confirmed that the track was filmed in New York, with a vibrant music video already wrapped. While details remain under tight wraps, insiders suggest the song leans into a high-energy, festival-ready sound, complete with Sheeran’s signature acoustic charm layered over Aujla’s rhythmic, hard-hitting Punjabi verses. The music video reportedly features both artists and was choreographed by a team that has previously worked with artists like Drake and Diljit Dosanjh.

For Karan Aujla, who recently debuted on The Late Night Show With Jimmy Fallon, the collaboration represents a new high in a blockbuster year. The Canadian-Punjabi star’s 2025 album, P-Pop Culture, debuted at No. 1 on multiple global streaming platforms and has earned him a spot alongside one of the world’s most influential pop artists.

The move is widely seen as part of Sheeran’s continued evolution into a global artist willing to experiment across genres and borders. His Play album, released in July 2025, featured an eclectic mix of collaborations ranging from Afrobeat to UK garage, and now Punjabi pop.

This isn’t Sheeran’s first foray into Indian music, of course. But the collaboration with Aujla takes things a step further, diving headfirst into the Punjabi wave that has been sweeping across global playlists. With streaming platforms reporting a 45 per cent year-over-year increase in Punjabi music consumption globally, the timing couldn’t be better.

While an official release date hasn’t been confirmed, Sheeran told the BBC Asian Network that the track is “reckon(ed) to be out sometime in October.” Until then, fans can expect more teasers and behind-the-scenes footage to surface across both artists’ social media pages, where anticipation is already reaching a fever pitch.

With two chart-toppers at the helm and a music industry hungry for genre-crossing innovation, its an exciting time for the world of music.