Ed Sheeran has traded his loop pedals for a full band

Ed Sheeran’s return is just around the corner. The musician will share new music at TikTok’s 2020 UEFA European Championship (yes, it’s the 2020 championship even though it’s technically 2021) event at Portman Road, the home pitch of Ipswich Town F.C. The 2020 event, much like everything else, was moved back a year due to COVID-19. This performance will only be available to view on Sheeran’s TikTok account on June 25, because it’s 2021 (or 2020 if you’re the UEFA).

Known for his solo work, and live performances utilizing pedal loops, the singer-songwriter returns with a full band for this upcoming live stream, entering a new era for Sheeran. In an interview with Radio 1, he said that fans can expect something “really really different” from this forthcoming single. He stressed that he had “done the loop pedal thing for 15 years” and “felt the weakest bits of the tour were some of the songs that needed a band.” Hopefully none of these new tracks will catch him another copyright infringement case.

Much like the rest of us, Sheeran’s taken a break from his grind since 2019, when he released No.6 Collaborations Project, featuring artists such as Justin Bieber, Travis Scott, and Bruno Mars. Before that, he relentlessly dominated airwaves following the release of “Shape Of You” and his third solo album Divide in 2017. His most recent single, “Afterglow,” came out in December of 2020. He told fans then that his next album would be out “later this year.”

“We are honoured to play host to Ed Sheeran for this very special gig during the UEFA European Championships,” Paul Hourican, head of music operations UK at TikTok, was quoted as saying by NME. “He is one of the greatest pop stars of his generation, a truly groundbreaking live performer and I know this moment is going to be truly special for the global TikTok community.”