Ed Sheeran has officially released the poignant song he wrote about his daughter

Ed Sheeran has surprised fans by announcing his new album =.

And to celebrate the announcement, the 30-year-old singer released his emotional new song 'Visiting Hours,' which is written about his daughter, Lyra Antarctica.

The British singer-songwriter previously unveiled the song at the state funeral of Michael Gudinski in March.

Armed with just an acoustic guitar for the performance, Sheeran broke down in tears as he sang the lyrics.

The poignant track features backing vocals from Michael's close friends, Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes.

The 'Perfect' hitmaker will release his fourth studio LP on October 29.

He says it is a "coming-of-age record", with songs written about his wife Cherry and their 12-month-old daughter.

"My life changed greatly over the past few years – I got married, became a father, experienced loss, and I reflect on these topics over the course of the album. I see it as my coming-of-age record, and I can't wait to share this next chapter with you," he said of the album.

We can't wait to hear it!