Ed Sheeran’s street performance was shut down mid-song after a uniformed officer (literally) pulled the plug on the British singer’s microphone, claiming that he lacked permission.
On Sunday, February 9, the four-time Grammy winner surprised fans and passersby with a street concert in India’s tech hub, Bengaluru. Ed was dressed casually, wearing a white tee, shorts, and sunglasses. He also had a simple setup, with a mic stand and his acoustic guitar.
Based on the videos posted online, fans sang along to the lyrics and enjoyed the British singer’s simple performance. However, midway through his acoustic rendition of “Shape of You,” a uniformed police officer approached the singer, bent down and yanked out his microphone and guitar cables.
A police officer pulled the plug when Ed Sheeran surprised everyone on Church Street😂😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/cMIRoLC7Mk
— Naai sekar (@snehaplsstop) February 9, 2025
Local police claimed that the singer was denied permission to perform at the spot, as it required their approval first, to prevent congestion in the busy area of Bengaluru.
The video was posted online and quickly went viral. After the incident, Ed clarified they were given the all-clear to busk in the area.
“We had permission to busk btw, hence us playing in that exact spot, [the street performance] was planned out before, it wasn’t just randomly turning up,” he wrote in his Instagram stories.
“All good though. See ya at the show tonight,” he added.
The musician is in the middle of an international leg of his "Mathematics" tour. He is currently in India for a 15-day tour. Over the weekend, the award-winning musician shared the stage with Indian singer Shilpa Rao.
He will perform at Shillong on February 12 and conclude his Indian tour in New Delhi a few days after.
Ed’s Indian tour came weeks after he became the first international artist to perform a concert in Bhutan.
