Elton John, Ed Sheeran and Keith Urban unite on Foy Vance's “Guiding Light (Anniversary Edition)"

The track was originally recorded for Vance’s breakthrough album, 2013’s Joy Of Nothing, and was co-sung by Ed Sheeran. The pair are longtime friends, with Vance co-writing "Blue" on Sheeran’s new album Autumn Variations and “A Beautiful Game” for Ted Lasso on Apple TV+, which has been nominated for a 2023 Primetime Emmy Award.

To celebrate the song's ten year anniversary, Vance has revisited it with three iconic musicians who have been part of his journey and who continue to inspire him. Produced by Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid, the new Anniversary Edition of the song features new vocals from Sheeran together with musical icon Elton John, who has long-championed Vance, and Keith Urban, who has written with Vance and covered his 2016 song “Burden”.

The backing choir on the new version consists of Anderson East, Patrick Droney, Devin Dawson, Bonnie Bishop, Lisa Gray, Etta Britt, Bob Britt, and NEEDTOBREATHES’s Bear Rinehart, Josh Lovelace, Seth Bolt, Tyler Burkum, and Randall Harris, and was recorded at Anderson East's studio in Nashville.

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“When I wrote Guiding Light I was feeling lost in my life due to a loss of family, friendships and reason,” says Vance of the track. “The music lit up the darkness. Melody reminded me to keep going no matter how long the road or how pointless it seemed. "Guiding Light" is the person or the thing that brings you back to a safe space, somewhere to lick your wounds and convalesce. To see this song resonate with so many people over the years has truly been a beautiful thing.”

“Guiding Light (Anniversary Edition)" arrives ahead of Vance’s upcoming Regarding The Joy Of Nothing UK Tour. Recorded in Donegal on Ireland’s west coast, the album was a critical and commercial breakthrough for the Bangor-born musician, winning the inaugural Northern Ireland Music Prize.