Ed Sheeran surprised and delighted fans in the Big Easy with a pop up performance of a brand new song.
According to the CBS affiliate 4WWL in New Orleans, the singer stepped out of a black SUV in the French Quarter at about 11am Saturday morning. He carried a portable amp and microphone, and was quickly joined by “The Soul Rebels” brass band.
Sheeran, decked out in a tie-dyed t-shirt and blue pants then launched into his new single, “Azizam.”
Ed Sheeran posted a bit of the pop up on his @edhq Instagram account with the caption, “New Orleans had a timeeee today 🕺🎉”
Ed Sheeran Performs Single Live for First Time Ever
The redheaded singer told the crowd that quickly gathered that he had never sung the new single live before. “We’re gonna do one song here – we’re filming a bit of content – and then we’re going to do a parade and walk down and play some songs, if you want to come with us,” Sheeran announced to the crowd, according to news outlet Nola.com.
Sheeran posted video of the impromptu parade on his @teddysphotos Instagram account with the caption “Playing some new music today on the streets of New Orleans with @thesoulrebels thanks to everyone who turned up !”
Sheeran told the crowd, “I’ve got a new song coming in a couple weeks that no one’s heard. This will be the first time it’s ever been played live. We’ll play it once now and then we’ll walk down, play some songs that you know, and I’ll play this song again. Thanks for coming out. It’s nice to be back here.”
Turning to the Soul Rebels, who recently performed at the Super Bowl opening ceremonies, Sheeran asked, “Shall we give it a whirl?”
The New Orleans Performance Wasn’t Sheeran’s First Surprise
New Orleans fans weren’t the only ones treated to a surprise performance. Sheeran brought down the house in Nashville earlier in the week. That’s when he surprised fans at the legendary Broadway bar Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge.
Sporting a pink cowboy hat, Sheeran climbed on top of the bar. He then performed a series of his biggest hits. He even did a few covers, including Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time.”
The honky tonk posted video of Sheeran writing, “You never know who’s gonna show up at Tootsies!!”
International Surprise Gets Shutdown in India
Sheeran also reportedly attempted to give fans in India a surprise concert. But that plan was quickly scuttled by local authorities.
A fan captured the scene and posted it on social media, showing police in Bengaluru, India stopping the performance. Sheeran posted a message to fans on his Instagram stories at the time. In it, he said that while he had gotten permission for the impromptu performance in advance, it was “all good.”
Sheeran Expected to Drop New Album This Year
According to “Billboard,” Sheeran is expected to drop a new album reportedly titled “Play” sometime this year.
Sheeran has hinted at the title numerous times in social media posts and comments.
“Play” would be his eighth studio album. The singer last dropped an album in 2023 with the release of “Autumn Variations.”
In the meantime, Sheeran will resume his international tour April 26th with stops in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain.
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Ed Sheeran Surprises Fans With New Music