Ed Sheeran gave fans in New Orleans an unexpected treat on March 15, debuting his unreleased song “Azizam” during a surprise street performance in the city’s historic French Quarter.
The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, accompanied by The Soul Rebels brass band, drew an excited crowd as he performed the track live for the first time.
Sheeran stepped out of a black SUV just after 11 a.m. local time, carrying a portable amp and microphone. “We’re gonna do one song here – we’re filming a bit of content – and then we’re going to do a parade and walk down and play some songs, if you want to come with us,” he told the audience, per Nola.com.
The performance marked the live debut of “Azizam”, which Sheeran revealed would be released in the coming weeks.
“I’ve got a new song coming in a couple weeks that no one’s heard. This will be the first time it’s ever been played live. We’ll play it once now and then we’ll walk down, play some songs that you know, and I’ll play this song again,” he continued.
Sheeran later shared a video of the performance on Instagram, showing himself rolling his amp through the streets as the crowd grew around him. “Playing some new music today on the streets of New Orleans with @thesoulrebels thanks to everyone who turned up!” he captioned the post.
The New Orleans pop-up was just the latest in a series of unannounced performances from Sheeran. Earlier in the week, he surprised fans in Nashville by performing an impromptu set at Tootsie’s bar, delivering a mix of his biggest hits along with a cover of Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time.”
Last month, Sheeran attempted a similar street performance in Bengaluru, India, but local authorities shut it down despite prior approval. He later reassured fans on Instagram that the incident was “all good” and went ahead with his scheduled concert that night.
Sheeran’s upcoming album, Play, is rumored for release later this year, marking his eighth studio project. “Azizam” is expected to be one of its lead singles, adding to Sheeran’s streak of surprise releases and unconventional promotional tactics. His last studio album, Autumn Variations, debuted in 2023 and earned a spot on the Billboard 200.