Ed Sheeran Becomes First International Performer To Play In Bhutan
Ed Sheeran is celebrating a history-making moment in his career as he has become the first international music artist to perform a concert in Bhutan. On Saturday, 25 January, Sheeran shared a video on his official Instagram featuring highlights of his time in the South Asian country as he reflected on the milestone.
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“Had the honour to be the first ever international artist to play Bhutan last night,” he wrote in the caption, referring to his 24 January show at Changlimithang Stadium in the capital of Thimphu. “What a gig, what a country, what a beautiful place with incredible people.”
It seems his Bhutan visit had quite an impact on him, as he continued, “Lemme know if I can move there, please and thank you.”
Sheeran concluded his caption by thanking the country for welcoming him and his touring crew for the “historic show” and sharing his hope that he would “see you again soon.
In the video, the four-time Grammy winner shared more thoughts about his musical first. “It’s mad that this is the first international concert here,” he said as he stood by the stage setup at the Bhutan venue. “I hope that there’s many more to come.”
He also revealed that he had a chance to share a meal with the country’s royal couple, King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun Pema. “I went for dinner with the king and queen yesterday and they said, ‘We just want people coming to the country that want to love and respect the country and understand the ideals.’
Sheeran added: “Yeah, I feel super honoured that I was chosen and I can’t wait to play. This is like such my jam.”
The video then cuts to footage of Sheeran rocking out onstage during the concert, as the crowd roared and jumped up and down in excitement. At one point, the singer addressed the audience, telling them, “I’ve been all around the world, been to some amazing places, but I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“To be able to visit a country like Bhutan, to be able to stand onstage and bring this show here. I can remember playing to an empty room and now I get to play the first international concert in Bhutan — ever,” he added.
Back in July 2024, Sheeran announced that his long-running Mathematics World Tour — which first began in April 2022 — would be coming to a close in 2025.
Sheeran’s European leg will kick off in Madrid, Spain, on 5 May, followed by stops in Rome; Oslo, Norway; Zurich; Stockholm, Sweden; and Copenhagen, Denmark. He is set to perform his final European show in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 9 September.
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