Disney+ will release ‘The Sum of it All’, a four-part docu-series focusing on the life and career of Ed Sheeran. The title references the singer’s albums that are named after math symbols.
The documentary will spotlight how a child with a stutter rose to fame and how his chart-topping hits were born. In addition to a look behind the scenes at what happened during one of the biggest concert tours in history, the series will lend a view into Sheeran’s private life as he shares how this difficult time influenced him and his music.
Sheeran will discuss the loss of his best friend and his wife’s diagnosis of a tumor while she was pregnant with their second child. ‘The Sum of it All’ is divided into four parts: “Love,” “Loss,” “Balance,” and “Life.”
“I’ve always been very guarded in my personal and private life; the only documentary I’ve ever made has been one that focused on my songwriting,” said Sheeran. “Disney approached me to make a four-part documentary, and it felt like the right time to open the door and let people in. I hope people enjoy it.”
Sheeran’s documentary is part of a wave of adult-oriented music specials and documentaries from Disney+ as the platform seeks to broaden its content. On March 17, the streaming service released ‘Bono and the Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman’.
‘The Sum of it All’ is executive produced by Fulwell 73’s Ben Winston and Ben Turner, with David Soutar as the series director.
“Everyone in the world knows and loves Ed Sheeran’s songs, as he has been the soundtrack to so many moments of our lives,” Turner and Winston said in a joint statement. “But this series of films shows the true man behind the hits, showing Ed in an entirely different way after a tumultuous year personally and professionally. This four-part series has been an honor for us to make.
Ed Sheeran’s upcoming sixth album, “– “(pronounced ‘Subtract’), will be released May 5 through the Atlantic in the U.S., Atlantic/Asylum Records in the UK, and Atlantic/Warner Music in the rest of the world, with the lead single “Eyes Closed” arriving March 24.
The docu-series is set to debut May 3 on Disney+. Watch the trailer here.
