Ed Sheeran, the 34-year-old Grammy winner, treated fans to a special surprise performance in New Orleans' historic French Quarter. On Saturday, March 15, at around 11 a.m. local time, Sheeran emerged from a black SUV wearing a tie-dyed tee and blue pants, carrying a portable amp and mic. He was soon joined by The Soul Rebels brass band, known for their recent collaboration with Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl halftime show.
The unexpected performance featured Sheeran debuting a new song titled "Azizam," which he played live for the first time. The song is set to be released in a couple of weeks and is part of his upcoming eighth studio album, Play, slated for release later this year. This marks Sheeran's latest album following Autumn Variations, which debuted in 2023.
During the impromptu concert, Sheeran connected with the audience by sharing some of his excitement on social media.
"Playing some new music today on the streets of New Orleans with @thesoulrebels thanks to everyone who turned up!" – Ed Sheeran
The singer-songwriter is no stranger to surprise performances. Recently, he attempted a similar street concert in Bengaluru, India, on February 9. However, local authorities intervened, cutting the performance short. Despite the interruption, Sheeran assured fans through his Instagram Stories that everything was fine.
"We had permission to busk btw, hence us playing in that exact spot, was planned out before, it wasn't just us randomly turning up," – Ed Sheeran
In addition to these street performances, Sheeran popped up at Tootsie's bar in Nashville, where he performed several of his biggest hits along with a few covers, further demonstrating his penchant for surprise appearances.