Legendary Irish Band U2 Releases EP ‘Days Of Ash’ Addressing ICE Shootings, Featuring Ed Sheeran

Popular rock band U2 have released a six-track Extended Play (EP) of politically inspired songs on Ash Wednesday, responding to present events in America, including the shooting to death of Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis.

The first of the five songs and one poem, “American Obituary,” was motivated by Good, who was shot and killed at a protest by ICE agents in Minneapolis in January.

The song, “Yours Eternally”, featured English Singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran. The song narrates
a story inspired by Taras Topolia, written in the form of a letter from a soldier on active duty.

The Days of Ash EP was described in a press release as “an immediate response to current events and inspired by the many extraordinary and courageous people fighting on the frontlines of freedom.”

U2 lead singer Bono mentioned in a statement that the tracks are “very different in mood and theme” from those that will be released as part of the band’s new album later this year.

The frontman for the Irish band said that the songs are not indicative of what U2 is working on for an album anticipated in late 2026. Songs of celebration will follow, he noted.

“These EP tracks couldn’t wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world,” he said. “They are songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation.
“Songs of celebration will follow, we’re working on those now… because for all the awfulness we see normalised daily on our small screens, there’s nothing normal about these mad and maddening times, and we need to stand up to them before we can go back to having faith in the future. And each other,” Bono said.

Other songs in the EP include: “Tears of Things”, “Song of the Future”, “Wildpeace”, and “One Life at a Time”.