Before watching the unusual documentary Songwriter, I knew very little about Ed Sheeran. Now I am an avid fan! Maybe it’s because one of my granddaughters is a singer/songwriter too -- and yet I’ve never had the pleasure of being present during one of her songwriting sessions. However, seeing the home videos of Sheeran and his musical collaborators as they create his third studio album “Divide,” I have some inkling of what’s involved in this particular creative process.

Songwriter’s PR is absolutely correct. This enlightening music doc definitely gives viewers a chance to “witness firsthand Sheeran’s creativity from the very first chord to the finishing touch – as the sounds become songs.”  

I agree with one of Sheeran’s friends on screen who says, “It’s cool to watch the making of something from nothing that becomes what people will be singing.”    

And it’s way cool when the subject just happens to be one of the world’s leading music artists who has sold over 20 million albums and 100 singles!

Creativity. He has that.

To Ed Sheeran I tip my hat.

“Songwriter” shows the song process

that’s led to his immense success.

Happiness while doing his thing

is clear even when bells don’t ring.

Sounds, rhythms and melodies

are tried by Ed for fans to please.

This documentary reveals

the depth of care Ed really feels

about his albums and each song.

And that’s why he does not go wrong.

For me, the highlight of this documentary involves Sheeran and a wonderful orchestra recording “Perfect,” one of his best songs, in my opinion. “Perfect” is also how I rate Songwriter -- despite its home video format, which actually works here by turning the viewer into a fly on the wall during songwriting sessions.

EPILOGUE: Just how popular was the “Divide” album? It raced to number one in the United Kingdom and in the United States. The first two singles from the album, " Shape of You" and "Castle on the Hill,"  broke records in a number of countries. Sheeran also became the first artist to have two songs opening in the U.S. top ten in the same week. Within three months, Sheeran had earned ten top ten singles from “Divide” on the United Kingdom Singles Chart, which broke the record for most top ten UK singles from one album. And in 2018, “Divide” was named the 2017 best-selling album worldwide.

(Produced by Murray Pictures; not rated by MPAA. In Theaters on August 17th in NY and August 24th in LA and exclusively on Apple Music August 28th).

For more information about Songwriter, please go to the IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes website.