With 35 billion listens, Ed Sheeran commissioned a few special versions of his song, each visited by a foreign star.
Ed Sheeran will release a single next week with a Finnish star as second soloist Ellinoora. The British Sheeran has been the most successful artist in the world in recent years, and the collaboration is unique in the history of Finnish pop music.
Duettokappale 2Step was released in the original version on Sheeran’s album last year. Now Sheeran has also wanted to release a few localized versions of the song, in which a visiting foreign artist sings one verse in his native language.
In the song, Ellinoora sings alone one of her own verses in Finnish, Adlib parts and a stem voice in the English choruses sung by Sheeran. The song will be available for streaming on May 4 at 12:01.
In addition to the version with Ellinoora 2Step will be released at least in a version with a Ukrainian and a Swedish singer. The names of these artists have not been announced in advance.
Ellinoora has been one of Finland ‘s most popular artists in recent years, and his songs have been listened to a total of 155 million times on Spotify. He is also one of the soloists at the Masters concerts next fall Kaija Koon, Vesalan and Jenni Vartiainen alongside.
Ed Sheeran’s readings are at their own level. His biggest hit, Shape of Youta has been listened to more than 3.1 billion times, and his total production has received a total of more than 35 billion listens. Nearly nine million people saw Sheeran in concerts on the previous world tour.
Ellinoora or Ellinoora Leikas says that the idea for the collaboration dates back to the summer of 2019, when Ed Sheeran was performing at the Malmi grove field on two evenings. Both Ellinoora and Sheeran are artists from the multinational Warner Company.
“I met him before the show and he asked‘ what kind of music do you make ’and I wasn’t quite sure if it was just a small talk. I said ‘organic pop music in Finnish’ and he asked if you had anything tomorrow. “
A Swede who performed in Helsinki as a warm-up for Sheeran’s concert Zara Larsson was ill and unable to perform at the first concert. Sheeran asked Ellinoora if this could become a successor if Larsson isn’t in shape again the next night.
“I had a little time to see what this was all about, but it didn’t go until a quarter, so his management had approached my team.”
However, Larsson recovered, and this time Ellinoora remained on the side of the audience. Last fall, Ellinoora got to hear Sheeran’s new album in advance, and the record just came to mind 2Step-paragraph. At the time, there was no information yet that Ellinoora would still be asked to record the same song for Sheeran.
Ellinoora aka Ellinoora Leikas
Specifically the cooperation started in december. Sheeran had listened to Ellinoora’s music and particularly liked the 2019 release The Pink Revolution to the energetic and faceted song on the album Bitchwhich differs from the soulful and emotional style of Ellinoora’s most famous songs.
Bitchhas a rhythm borrowed from hip-hop, as is Sheeran In 2Step.
“As an artist, you easily get put in a box that is that of a sensitive, emotional, and completely bare interpretive artist. Of course, my biggest songs are like that, but it’s nice to see that versatility. ”
According to Ellinoora, who prefers pink in her hair and clothes, Sheeran had thought that “that pink girl had a good vibe”.
Sheeran’s team was given to Ellinoora and her producer and songwriting partner To Samuli Sirviö free hands. Ellinoora and Sirviö decided to make vocals not only in Finnish verses but also in choruses.
The finished song therefore sounds more like a real duet than a feat visit to just one verse, and the settlement was also held in Britain.
The verse text written by Ellinoora was translated into English and sent to Sheeran’s group. Ellinoora and Sirviö recorded the vocals in their own studio.
“For a little while it was played ping pong with the British and I was finally sent my pre-mixed songs.”
Ed Sheeran performed on stage with Taylor Swift in San Jose in December 2017.
Localized, versions sung in different languages have been made in pop music from time to time before, but the method now used by Sheeran, in which the Visiting Star sings part of the song in his own language, is quite new. Ellinoora sees it as part of a transformation in the music industry.
“There are two ways to deal with these. One can either go to a corner and say ‘I want the old time back’ or you can think ok, people have switched to consuming muse in Tiktok and they are falling in love with someone for 15 seconds. Still, you have to do your own thing without thinking about what’s going on. ”
Although the purpose of the joint version is to keep Sheera in the minds of the Finnish audience, the attraction of the world’s most popular artist is likely to bring foreign listeners to Ellinoora’s own production as well.
Ellinoora does not completely rule out the possibility that she could try out her potential with her own music in the international market.
“It is a road that must be fully involved, and the Finland gate must be completely closed. I am now 28 years old and I believe anything is possible. I’m also the type that if I decide to do something, I’ll do it too. It just has to have the right people around it. ”
Before that, of course, you’ll be wondering if Ellinoora will be seen at the Olympic Stadium in August at Ed Sheeran’s gig, this time on stage and even at the same time as the main performer.
“Get excited to see,” Ellinoora says, smiling. “Yes, that’s an opportunity.”