Ed Sheeran Recorded a Live Version of ‘Autumn Variations’ Album in Sheerios’ Living Rooms
Ed Sheeran is about to release his second album of the year when his Aaron-dessner produced Autumn Variations collection drops on Sept. 29. Actually, we found out on Tuesday (Sept. 19) that he’s also preparing to release his third album of 2023. In an Instagram post, Sheeran revealed that he’s recorded a surprise secret live version of Variations that he tracked in fans’ living rooms across the country.
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“So I did some surprise pop up gigs in fans houses, secretly recording a live album of Autumn Variations where each song is recorded in a different fans living room, but all of it was a total surprise,” he wrote alongside a video in which he performs “Wake Me Up” on a superfans’ keyboard as she freaks out and sings along silently with him.
“We got to @kariconaway ‘s house at the end of the day, and I instantly knew it was gonna be a fun one. They had cats, friendship bracelets and some fruit drinks to start, but once I’d played the Autumn song I said take me on a tour, and when I went into her room I saw a piano,” he added. “She asked if I could play and I said ‘not really but I kinda play on wake me up’, so here I am playing ‘Wake Me Up,’ for all the Plus fans out there.”
Sheeran said the live Autumn Variations album — the follow-up to his sixth studio album, – (Subtract), which was released in May — will be “coming soon.”
Back in May, Conway chronicled meeting Sheeran at the outset of the Mathematics tour and earlier this month she posted video of Sheeran showing up with his guitar, pouring some drinks, playing with her cat and playing an acoustic set in her bedroom. “This is what happens when you don’t shut up about your favorite artist 😭 The secret is out and I can say that ED SHEERAN came to my house to visit ME… #screamingcryingthrowingup#WHAT#edsheeran#sheerio#girldad#whatthefanfiction,” she wrote.
Sheeran posted a TikTok earlier this month hinting at the surprise (it’s the same one Conway re-posted on her Insta feed), in which he promised “surprise pop ups in fans houses to record something special, coming soon. PS your cats were cool.” Sheeran will perform Variations in full at a pair of gigs at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Nov. 18-19; the North American leg of the Mathematics tour will wrap on Saturday )Sept. 23) at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Check out Sheeran’s announcement and Conway’s videos below.
Gil Kaufman
Billboard
