Bengaluru, India: British pop star Ed Sheeran was prevented from busking in Bengaluru’s bustling Church Street area, after local police intervened, citing a lack of necessary permissions. A viral video captured the moment an officer unplugged Sheeran’s microphone as he performed in the popular shopping and entertainment district.
Authorities said that a request from Sheeran’s team to perform on the street was denied to prevent congestion. However, Sheeran refuted this on Instagram, stating that, “We had permission to busk, by the way. Hence, us playing in that exact spot was planned out before. It wasn’t just us randomly turning up. All good though. See you at the show tonight.”
The incident occurred just hours before his scheduled Mathematics Tour concert at NICE Grounds in Bengaluru.
Shape of You… but not of permits. Ed Sheeran’s impromptu gig on Church Street hit a sour note as Bengaluru police pulled the plug over missing permissions. Even global stars must follow local rules—no permit, no performance! pic.twitter.com/ubQjRjQwt8
— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) February 9, 2025
Many fans criticized the police intervention on social media, with one commenter lamenting, “We live in an uncleocracy. And there’s nothing uncles love more than to stop young people from having fun.”
Ed Sheeran is currently on a 15-day tour of India, having already performed in Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai. He has upcoming concerts in Shillong and Delhi. During his Bengaluru show, he thrilled fans by singing two Telugu-language songs alongside singer Shilpa Rao.
Sheeran has previously collaborated with Indian artists, including performing with Diljit Dosanjh at a concert in Birmingham last year and recently working with sitar musician Megha Rawoot on a version of his hit song Shape of You.
India’s demand for live music is rising, with Sheeran’s extensive tour following high-profile concerts by Dua Lipa in Mumbai and Coldplay’s multi-city tour.
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