British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and Oscar-winning Indian music composer A.R. Rahman teamed up for the first time on stage for a mashup of the 2017 track Shape of You and the 1994 superhit song Urvasi Urvasi during Sheeran’s February 5 concert in Chennai’s YMCA Ground.
Sharing a video on Instagram on Wednesday night, Sheeran wrote, “What an honor.”
While Sheeran sported a red t-shirt during the performance, Rahman looked dapper in an all-black ensemble and stylish shades. The video shows Sheeran strumming his guitar and singing along with Rahman as the audience grooved to the beats of the mashup.
On Thursday, A.R. Rahman took to X to thank the global pop icon for the collaboration. “Thank you, @edsheeran. Hope to see you perform more in Chennai—our city needs more international concerts and collaborations like yours,” wrote the 58-year-old composer.
Earlier, Sheeran had visited KM Music Conservatory, Rahman’s institute in Chennai, where he performed his 2017 chartbuster Perfect with the students. A viral video also showed Sheeran enjoying a ‘champi’ ahead of his concert in Chennai.
Sheeran returned to India this January after his March 16 performance in Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Race Course last year. The artiste is currently on the India leg of The Mathematics Tour, promoted by AEG Presents Asia and BookMyShow Live.
Sheeran first performed in Pune’s Yash Lawns on January 30 followed by a concert in Hyderabad on February 2. The musician has three more shows scheduled in India — in Bengaluru (February 8), Shillong (February 12) and Delhi (February 15).
Before bringing back his tour to India this year, Sheeran performed in Bhutan for the first time on January 24 at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu.
Ed Sheeran, who recently sang a melancholic Christmas ballad for Richard Curtis’ upcoming holiday movie That Christmas, will also perform in Qatar’s Lusail Multipurpose Hall on April 30 and Bahrain’s Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre on May 2.
Previously, Sheeran had performed in India during his x Tour in 2015 and his Divide Tour at Mumbai’s Jio Gardens in 2017.
