British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has described his recent collaboration with Indian singer Arijit Singh as one of his favourite experiences, calling it “a pilgrimage of music”.

In an Instagram post on Thursday, Sheeran shared details of his 24-hour trip to Jiaganj Azimganj in West Bengal, where he recorded a new version of his track Sapphire with the Indian playback star. The track titled Sapphire is streaming on all music platforms.

“After a 5.5-hour drive, we arrived. Arijit took us on a boat to see the sights. We talked, ate, drank coffee. Then in the studio, he taught me how to sing in Punjabi and a bit of sitar,” Sheeran wrote, adding that the collaboration ended with a “late-night scooty ride” through the riverside town.

Sheeran was joined by his father on the trip, which he said felt like the closing chapter of the song’s journey but the start of “something bigger”. He also said the version featuring Arijit is now a favourite in his household. “It’s the one I listen to every morning with my daughters.”

This collaboration marks Sheeran’s first with a mainstream Indian artist. “Thank you Arijit for your time, grace and talent,” Sheeran wrote.

The three-minute-4-second-long music video of Sapphire features glimpses of Sheeran at various locations across India. Shot during his India tour, it captures moments and memories he gathered along the way. Sheeran’s rendition of the Punjabi line cham cham chamke sitare wargi stands out as a highlight of the track.

Earlier in June, Sheeran had revealed that he got in touch with Arijit Singh after watching Aashiqui 2 and listening to his song Tum Hi Ho. The 34-year-old British singer-songwriter met Arijit on the sidelines of his India leg of Mathematics tour.