To promote the lead single of his new album Play, Ed Sheeran played the song “Azizam” in the NYC subway with Jimmy Fallon for The Tonight Show.

When he first appeared, Sheeran and Fallon were in disguises. Fallon is wearing a black wig and sunglasses, and both guys are wearing all-black outfits. Despite the disguises, it soon became clear that the “Shape of You” singer was serenading NYC commuters.

Videos have surfaced of the set. Sheeran began by playing a cover of Chappell Roan's iconic song “Pink Pony Club.” Fallon sang a duet with Sheeran for the song.

He then performed “Azizam” with his signature loop pedal. As he does during his concerts, Sheeran built the song from the ground up by layering elements of the song. The crowd seemed to react positively to Sheeran belting out the song.

It is unknown if Sheeran performed any other songs during his set. If he didn't, fans in attendance still got to be some of the first to hear “Azizam.”

Why did Ed Sheeran busk in the NYC subway?

Ed Sheeran performing at the ACM Awards on May 11, 2023.
Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK.
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Sheeran traveled to New York City to promote his upcoming single, “Azizam.” After appearing on The Tonight Show, Sheeran was seen sitting courtside at the New York Knicks game. Before showing him on the jumbotron, the venue played his new song over the speakers.

“Azizam” is the first single for an album from Sheeran in almost two years. While he did release “Under the Tree” in November 2024, it was recorded for Netflix's animated holiday movie That Christmas.

“American Town” was the last single Sheeran released for one of his albums. 2023 was a busy year for him, as he released two albums, Subtract and Autumn Variations.

Now, he appears ready to release his eighth album, Play. Sheeran's first single from the album will be released on Friday, April 4, 2025.  He has also said that the second single from Play will come “pretty soon” after “Azizam.” So, it appears the promo tour for the album is getting underway.

Ed Sheeran is not the first to busk with Jimmy Fallon for The Tonight Show. Previously, the likes of U2 and Green Day similarly surprised commuting fans by performing in the subway.

Recently, Sheeran has been doing pop-up performances to promote the album. He was recently seen in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Boston, Massachusetts, playing music.

At the end of April, Sheeran will hit the road to resume the Mathematics Tour, which is set to conclude in 2025. He will play in Qatar and Bahrain before embarking on another European leg.