International superstar Ed Sheeran held back tears on stage as he returned for an emotional performance in the 3Arena in Dublin last night.
The 32-year-old singer fought back the tears as he performed his new single Eyes Closed in tribute to a close friend who died suddenly last year, the Irish Examiner reported.
Sheeran, who has sold over 150 million records worldwide, told the Dublin crowd that he loves coming to Ireland, a decade on from his very first gig in the venue.
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The Suffolk raised star treated the crowd to songs like Perfect, I See Fire, The City and The Parting Glass, however, it was Eyes Closed that really drew the crowd's attention, as Sheeran choked back the tears.
Fans were treated to a more intimate feeling as opposed to his two Croke Park gigs last summer, where he hit on much more commercial notes.
Sheeran is gearing up to release his fifth and latest studio album Subtract, on May 5, which includes a total of 14 tracks which he recorded, produced and co-wrote along with Aaron Dessner of band The National, who also worked with Taylor Swift on Folklore (2020), and Evermore (2020).
Sheeran and Aaron penned over thirty songs together during a month-long studio session, reducing the final output to 14. The night in Dublin was the first of a mini-tour to complement the upcoming release.
The father-of-two will play in Paris on Sunday, April 2, having already played Manchester, London and Glasgow since March 23.
Jamal Edwards was his friend and on the night, Sheeran admitted that he is still getting used to singing the tribute without breaking down in tears. The album was also written at a time when his wife experienced a cancer diagnosis, adding extra emotion to the tracks he has recorded.
The Examiner said Sheeran's concert in Dublin, was highly emotive and was in essence a tribute to a lost friend.
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