Ed Sheeran is opening up about one of his more recent career disappointments where he had a dream job offered and then taken away.
During an appearance on That Peter Crouch Podcast, the pop star revealed he had been tapped to write and perform the theme song for Daniel Craig‘s latest James Bond film, No Time To Die, when he was abruptly replaced by Billie Eilish.
‘I’m not gonna pretend it didn’t hurt not doing it,’ the singer admitted to Crouch.
The opportunity first came about in 2017 when Sheeran met with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, who had expressed interest in having him compose and perform a Bond theme song, according to Rolling Stone.
While eagerly writing the theme, Sheeran was told by his manager Stuart Camp that music is often the last thing done for a film.
But between COVID-19 production delays and the process of doing music at the end of the creative process, it ended up leaving the door open for another artist to slip in.
It turns out during that lapse of time, Danny Boyle, who had worked with Sheeran on the romantic comedy film Yesterday (2019), dropped out as director of No Time To Die due to ‘creative differences’ and replaced by Cary Joji Fukunaga.
Ultimately, the No Time To Die theme ended up going to Billie Eilish, who went on to have huge success with her version of the song.
Creative process had already begun: Sheeran confessed ‘I had started writing it,’ when he got word he was replaced by Eilish
‘It hurt’: With the sting of disappointment apparent in his voice, the How Would You Feel star confessed on That Peter Crouch Podcast: ‘Im not gonna pretend it didn’t hurt not doing it,’ in reference to losing out on the Bond theme song No Time To Die
Beginning of the end: And then they changed directors, changed scripts and and that was it,’ the Halifax, West Yorkshire, England native, said of Danny Boyle dropping out as director of No Time To Die due to ‘creative differences’
When asked whether he had ever done a Bond song yet by Crouch, Sheeran flashed a big broad smile and admitted: ‘I was within a f***ing gnat’s pube of doing one,’ with a tinge of heartbreak to his voice.
‘But then they changed directors, changed scripts and that was it,’ the Halifax, West Yorkshire, England native, 31, explained, before adding, ‘We’d done all the meetings, I had started writing it.’
Despite the heartbreak of losing out on the opportunity to join the long list of top-notch musical artists to write and perform a Bond theme song, Sheeran made it clear he’s still holding out hope he will be able to get another chance.
‘But yea, if they came back I would be like yea, of course, yeah,’ he said when asked if it was still something he’s like to do.
Still a dream gig: Despite the heartbreak of losing out on the opportunity to join the long list of top-notch musical artists to write and perform a James Bond theme song, Sheeran made it clear he’s still holding out hope he will be able to get another chance
Bucket list: Sheeran still considers a James Bond theme song to be a goal that he attains in the near future
Along with Eilish’s No Time To Die, the rich and varied history of James Bond title theme songs over the years includes the likes of Paul McCartney & Wings (Live and Let Die, 1973), Chris Cornell (You Know My Name, 2006), Tina Turner ( GoldenEye, 1995), Tina Turner ( GoldenEye, 1995), Duran Duran (A View To A Kill, 1985), Nancy Sinatra (You Only Live Twice, 1967), and Madonna (Die Another Day, 2002).
Some of the other artists are Alicia Keys and Jack White (Another Way To Die, 2008), Sheena Easton (For Your Eyes Only, 1981), Gladys Knight – License To Kill, 1989), Carly Simon (Nobody Does It Better (1977), Sheryl Crow (Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997) and Shirley Bassey (Diamonds are Forever, 1971), among others.
Considering the success Eilish had with No Time To Die, some would argue the decision to change from Sheeran to the then teenage pop star was a good and profitable one.
