Ed Sheeran Reveals ‘Play’ Song ‘Camera’ Was Nearly a Justin Bieber Collaboration

Somewhere on Ed Sheeran’s computer, there’s a version of “Camera” featuring vocals from Justin Bieber. In a new interview with SiriusXM, Sheeran revealed that he had made a version of the Play standout “Camera” as a duet with Bieber for his last album, Justice — but it never came out.

“I wrote it for = and then it ended up being a duet with Justin Bieber for Justice, and then it never materialized. I’ve got a version with Justin on it,” Sheeran revealed. “It’s pretty cool, but it just exists in the ether. Now it’s out. I think people like it.”

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The Bieber-Sheeran linkup would’ve lined up with the times the two worked together in the past. The pair released a duet titled “I Don’t Care” back in 2019, two years before Justice‘s release. They also co-wrote “Love Yourself” from Bieber’s Purpose era in 2015.

“Camera” is now on Play, which dropped on Sept. 12. In his SiriusXM interview, Sheeran said he had written the song about how “most of the best moments of life were never caught on camera,” and how the human mind latches on to memories that didn’t have a photo taken.

“When I was 11, I remember playing my first show and thinking that I was rocking out to 40,000 people and it was amazing,” Sheeran explained. “Had someone filmed that on a camera phone, it takes the magic away… I think sometimes when things aren’t caught on camera, like I remember my proposal to my wife in a very specific way. “

He added, “It might have actually been completely different if someone had filmed it. I do think that cameras and videoing things sometimes take the magic away.”

Last week, Sheeran announced that he’ll head on his Loop Tour in North America next year, hitting stadiums across the country. The album will celebrate Play, which includes the singles “Azizam,” “Old Phone,” and “Sapphire.”

“The most interesting moments on Play are the cross-cultural, experimental songs that find Sheeran hitting a new pop wave,” read a Rolling Stone review of the record. “Overall, despite some of its nods to a more global sound, Play is a lot more of the same radio-tailored singer-songwriter music that has become Sheeran’s signature in his 15-year career.”

For his part, Bieber is riding the wave of his pair of Swag albums and his recent announcement as headliner for Coachella 2026. “Between headlining Coachella and the success of Swag, it’s clear this is the start of an exciting new era for Justin — one where he’s fully in the driver’s seat,” a source previously told Rolling Stone.

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