British pop icon Ed Sheeran, in the midst of his six-city India tour, made a special stop at AR Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory in Chennai ahead of his concert on February 5. The two musical powerhouses came together for an impromptu jam session, with Sheeran performing his chart-topping hit Perfect alongside Rahman’s choir, leaving fans buzzing with excitement.
Rahman shared snapshots of their meeting on Instagram, including a cosy photo of himself, Sheeran, and his son AR Ameen lounging on a couch. Another image captured Rahman at his music console while Sheeran snapped a picture of the legendary composer. Rahman’s caption, cheekily crediting Sheeran for the “beautiful photos,” set social media ablaze with fans hoping for a future collaboration.
Sheeran’s India tour, part of his global Mathematics Tour, began in Pune on January 30, where he won hearts by sporting a custom ‘Pune’ t-shirt. He spoke fondly of his love for India, calling it a “stunning country” and expressing his thrill at performing in new cities this time around.
The tour, organised by AEG Presents Asia and BookMyShow Live, has featured opening acts by Indian artists like Dot (of The Archies fame) in Pune and Armaan Malik in Hyderabad. Sheeran’s journey continues with stops in Chennai, Bengaluru, Shillong, and Delhi-NCR.
Before his Chennai concert, Ed Sheeran embraced a slice of local culture with a traditional Tamil Nadu head massage, or champi. A video of the moment, shared by his fan club EDHQ, quickly went viral. In the clip, Sheeran humorously dubbed the massage “abuse,” but later shared it on his Instagram story with the caption, “This kinda slaps.” Fans flooded the comments with witty remarks, with one even joking, “Now we’ll know why you forget lyrics!”
Sheeran’s India tour is more than just a series of concerts; it’s like a whole package of music, culture, and connection. From sharing the stage with AR Rahman to diving into local traditions, the Shape of You star is creating moments and memories that resonate deeply with his Indian audience.
As the tour rolls on, fans eagerly await what surprises Sheeran has in store next. One thing’s for sure: his India tour is a celebration of music and moments that will linger long after the final note fades.
Alia Bhatt at the Red Sea Film Festival where she spoke about the scale of Alpha Getty Images 
