Ed Sheeran stuns fans with a pop-up performance in New Orleans, debuting “Azizam” and teasing his upcoming album Play.
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What is the excitement surrounding Ed Sheeran’s most recent unexpected performance?
On March 15, Ed Sheeran surprised fans in the French Quarter of New Orleans with an unexpected street performance!
The Grammy winner, dressed in blue jeans and a tie-dye t-shirt, picked up a portable microphone and amplifier, joined forces with Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl collaborators, and performed his unreleased song “Azizam” for the first time ever.
As he revealed plans to parade through the streets, blending new songs with beloved hits, crowds swiftly grew.
What makes this pop-up a part of a larger trend?
Sheeran has experience with this. He riffed through hits and cheeky covers, such as Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time,” when he crashed Nashville’s famous Tootsie’s bar a few days prior.
However, not every stunt works—local police in February cut off his street show in Bengaluru in the middle of the performance.
Later, Sheeran told fans on Instagram that the India performance was pre-approved and dismissed it with a “see ya tonight.”
What will the hitmaker do next?
Sheeran is obviously eager to road-test new music after teasing Play, his eighth studio album, which is due this year.
With the caption, “Playing some new music today…thanks to everyone who turned up!”
his Instagram reel of the chaos in New Orleans suggests more impromptu antics to come.
Fans are eager to see how Play changes up his sound after 2023’s Autumn Variations.
What is the response of fans to these guerilla performances?
Supporters go crazy for viral videos and Instagram applause.
Instant FOMO is brought on by the excitement of seeing Sheeran live and unadulterated, with a brass band and an amplifier.
His easygoing charm keeps the mood upbeat even when plans fall through (look at you, Bengaluru).
Who else, after all, releases new music in the middle of a parade?
Hold on, what’s the matter with “Azizam”?
Speculation regarding the song’s inspiration is fueled by the Persian word for endearment, which means “my dear.”
Although Sheeran has not disclosed specifics, the soulful collaboration with The Soul Rebels points to a brass-heavy, jazzier direction.
It will be a genre-bending experience if Play can match the intensity of his pop-up chaos.
Quick Facts: Ed Sheeran
- performed a live performance of the new song “Azizam” in New Orleans on March 15.
- worked together with Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl band, The Soul Rebels.
- Britney Spears covers were part of the surprise Nashville show.
- Play’s eighth album is scheduled for release in 2024.
- In February, authorities stopped a street show in Bengaluru.