Ed Sheeran’s second album, known as X but pronounced Multiply, will soon reach its official 10th anniversary on June 21. However, Sheeran decided to kick off the celebrations early with a special performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. In a typical Sheeran fashion, the singer-songwriter spent the hours leading up to the show casually biking around New York City with the members of Laundry Day, a local band who scored an opening slot at the concert thanks to their recent viral success.
Once on stage, Sheeran treated fans to the first-ever live performances of X deep cuts like “Shirtsleeves” and the emotive “Even My Dad Does Sometimes. The highlight of the night was when Sheeran performed the entirety of his decade-old album, revisiting gems like “Afire Love,” “Runaway,” and “English Rose.” The setlist also featured rarities like “Take It Back” and a reimagined version of “Nina.”
In addition to his own hits, Sheeran delighted the audience with covers of Rudimental’s “Lay it All on Me” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” as well as his contribution to The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack, “All of the Stars. ”Before the show, Sheeran took to Instagram Live to relearn his old songs, showcasing his dedication to his craft and attention to detail.
Pidan un deseo, Shirtsleeves en vivo 🥹
🎥 enerijung pic.twitter.com/fu8RUFDWAB
— Ed Sheeran Uruguay 🍂 (@EdSheeranUY) May 23, 2024
Reflecting on his career trajectory, Sheeran shared his calculated approach to success, emphasizing his determination to achieve his goals. Despite his immense fame, Sheeran remains grounded, acknowledging that his life may take different paths in the future.
As Sheeran embarks on the next chapter of his career, which includes the release of his final album in his mathematics series, he remains confident in his creative abilities, with a vault of songs accumulated over the past decade ready to be shared with the world.