Ed Sheeran, despite his status as a chart-topping Grammy-winning artist, still experiences nervousness when unveiling new music.
During his Amazon Music Live performance in Los Angeles, the 32-year-old singer introduced three fresh tracks: “American Town,” “Blue,” and “Magical.”
Before presenting “American Town,” Ed openly confessed to feeling nervous as it marked his first time performing the song live with a band before an audience. He candidly shared his sentiments with the enthusiastic crowd.
Later in his performance, Ed elaborated on the inspiration behind his upcoming album, revealing that it was influenced by Edward Elgar’s “Enigma Variations,” which consists of 14 compositions dedicated to his friends.
He recalled how his father introduced him to it and how he noticed the absence of a modern interpretation of this concept. He thought it would be an intriguing idea, especially since his friends were experiencing various life events, from falling in love to breakups, having children, and dealing with periods of depression. Consequently, he crafted 14 songs, each inspired by a different friend’s journey.
Despite the upbeat and lively atmosphere of the intimate concert, Ed took a moment to pay tribute to his late friend, Jamal Edwards, by performing “Eyes Closed.” He wrote this song following Jamal’s passing in 2022.
Ed shared his emotional connection to the song with the audience, discussing the disbelief he experienced during the month between Jamal’s passing and his funeral. He described the surreal feeling and the realization that his friend was gone forever. The song “Eyes Closed” emerged during that uncertain month, reflecting his hope that Jamal might somehow return.
Throughout his hour-long set, which included 15 songs, Ed engaged his fans deeply. He performed some of his biggest hits like “The A Team,” “Shivers,” “Shape of You,” and “Perfect.”
For most of the concert, it was just Ed and his guitar, with his devoted fans witnessing his live creation of melodies and track production using his loop station.
Ed’s upcoming album, “Autumn Variations,” is set to release on Friday, September 29th.