Ed Sheeran Drops By New York's Blue Note Jazz Club For Surprise Performance

Ed Sheeran took some time off from his world tour this week to drop by New York City’s Blue Note jazz club for an impromptu performance.

The four-time Grammy winner made an unannounced appearance at the legendary Manhattan venue Monday when he performed alongside fellow musician Frédéric Yonnet. 

Blue Note shared footage of the show on Instagram on Tuesday, showing Sheeran and Yonnet delivering a high-energy set that included “Shape of You” as well as stripped-down renditions of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine.”

“Grateful for Ed Sheeran gracing the Blue Note stage with a magical surprise impromptu performance with incredible harmonica master Frédéric Yonnet,” the club wrote in the accompanying caption. “You never know who’s going to show up at Blue Note!” 

And though Sheeran is used to playing sold-out stadiums, his Blue Note audience reportedly was just 200 people. 

Yonnet, a French jazz harmonicist, is a longtime friend of Sheeran’s. The two men have collaborated numerous times in the past, most notably on the CBS special “A Home for the Holidays” in 2015, when they performed Sheeran’s signature hit, “Thinking Out Loud.” 

Sheeran is currently on a world tour after releasing his latest album, “Subtract.” 

Along the way, Sheeran has maintained his penchant for surprise. Last month, he welcomed Shawn Mendes to join him onstage in Toronto, where the pair performed Sheeran’s “Lego House” and Mendes’ “There’s Nothin’ Holding Me Back” in duet. 

It marked Mendes’ first time back on stage in over a year. He called off his 2022 tour after just seven performances, citing the need for a mental health break.