Songfacts®:

• With his wife Cherry Seaborn battling cancer, the death of his best friend Jamal Edwards, and a grueling plagiarism lawsuit weighing on his mind, Ed Sheeran felt he just wanted to hide away.
  
  In the midst of his personal turmoil, Sheeran turned to music as a means of coping and healing. The result was "Curtains," a deeply personal and emotionally charged track that speaks to the pain and heartache he was enduring at the time and the support he received.
• Sheeran likens his struggle to a childhood game.
  
  Lost in hide and seek, I'm tucked away
  It's been ages since I joined this charade
  
  With a friend's encouragement, his strength surges, and he emerges from the haze.
  
  I'm done hiding, yet you found me all the same
• The song connects the healing power of sunlight, as Sheeran's friend assures him:
  
  I'm here, sharing your load
  Sun's rays, they uplift, soothe the soul
  Escape the shadows, where bitter winds blow
  Together, we'll embrace the sun's golden glow
  
  Sheeran casts off the veil, embracing the sun's warm embrace.
  
  The day's not out of reach and that's when you say to me
  "Can you pull the curtains? Let me see the sunshine
  
  "I'm sure everyone here has had low points, and in those moments you want to close the world out and not see anyone," explained Sheeran. "Draw the curtains and be like, 'I'm not seeing anyone.' We all have amazing people in our lives that we love, that sense when those points happen, that can come in and draw [open] the curtains, let the sunshine in, and motivate you to get out and feel better."
  
• Sheeran crafted "Curtains" for his Subtract album, which sees the collaboration of Aaron Dessner from the indie rock band The National. Dessner, known for producing Taylor Swift's acclaimed albums Folklore and Evermore, joined forces with Sheeran based on Swift's recommendation. Their creative process involved Dessner sharing musical ideas with Sheeran, who embraced a spontaneous and almost stream-of-consciousness approach.
  
  "I didn't think anything. The first thing that came out, I wrote down, and then I moved on and moved on to the next one," said Sheeran to Apple Music. "Aaron sent me seven instrumentals one day and I sent them all back in two and a half hours."
• While much of the album features minimalist and fragile arrangements, "Curtains" stands out as a vibrant departure with its energetic and upbeat sound. The track delves into a captivating fusion of crashing cymbals, fierce drums, electrifying guitars, and a powerful vocal delivery that hits you head-on.
• Aaron Dessner showcases his versatility by playing an impressive array of eight instruments. He handles the bass synthesizer, upright piano, Mellotron, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, tambourine, shaker, and bass. Additionally, he enlists the talents of his brother, Bryce Dessner, a fellow member of The National, to contribute synthesizer and orchestration, adding further depth and richness to the composition. The other musicians are:
  
  Yuki Numata Resnick: violin
  Clarice Jensen: cello
  Dave Nelson: trombone
  Doveman: piano, synthesizer
  Jason Treuting: percussion
  James McAlister: drums, synthesizer
  Bella Blasko: Juno
  Jonathan Low: Juno