Watch Ed Sheeran play impromptu show in Sheffield city centre

Ed Sheeran has played a surprise set on the streets of Sheffield city centre – check out the footage below.

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The singer appeared outside the city’s Town Hall at approximately 7pm on Sunday (May 18), having teased the appearance on his Instagram story earlier in the day. Hundreds of people showed up, with many of them posting footage online afterwards.

Sheeran played hits like ‘Shape Of You’ and the recent ‘Azizam’, and was also joined by JME for a version of ‘Radio’, from 2011’s ‘No. 5 Collaborations Project’ EP, as well as a freestyle from rapper Maja M.

Watch videos from the makeshift performance here:

@djagonline

@Ed Sheeran #djagonline #teamag #ukdj #deejay #djlife #djag #music

♬ original sound – DJ AG ONLINE

@djagonline

Wow!!! Loving this remix from @Ed Sheeran over the classic @danielbedingfldofficial Gotta Get Thru This #djagonline #teamag #ukdj #london #djlife #teamag #tiktokdj #ukgarage #ukg #edsheeran #active #sheffield

♬ original sound – DJ AG ONLINE

@djagonline

@Maja_M_Rap_Official @Ed Sheeran #djagonline #teamag #ukdj #deejay #djlife #music

♬ original sound – DJ AG ONLINE

It is just the latest example of Sheeran playing a pop-up show – he put on a similar show at London’s King’s Cross last month, after a gig on the top of a pink double-decker bus across central London.

The performances are part of the campaign around his new album ‘Play’, which a press release has said intends to “bring people together”, with Sheeran aiming to “connect on a more intimate level with his supporters”. It has been previewed by ‘Azizam’ and ‘Old Phone’ and is due to be released on September 12. Visit here to pre-order.

Sheeran also played a busking set in New York in April for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, including a cover of Chappell Roan’s ‘Pink Pony Club’. Days later, he played a short acoustic duet set with Noah Kahan in a Nashville pub.

He has also been taking a pop-up English pub ‘The Old Phone’ on the road with him in recent months, bringing it to his hometown namesake of Ipswich, Massachusetts and eventually Coachella.

Sheeran has said that ‘Play’ was made as a “direct response” to the “darkest period” of his life. “Coming out of all of that I just wanted to create joy and technicolour, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring. I made this record all over the world, finished it in Goa, India, and had some of the most fun, explorative creative days of my life.”

As for live shows, Sheeran is due to play a run of European shows from May to September 2025 before finishing up the year with performances in Bhutan, India, Qatar and Bahrain. Visit here for tickets.

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