Ed Sheeran breaks down in tears twice at secret gig and confirms new album next year
EMOTIONAL Ed Sheeran broke down in tears at a top secret gig last night as he played tracks from his surprise new album.
The pop megastar, who confirmed he'll release a record next year, performed eight new songs for just 600 fans inside London's Union Chapel in support of Will Young's charity Wellstock.
Armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar, Ed sobbed twice as he spoke of his close friend Jamal Edwards, who died of a heart attack, aged just 31, earlier this year.
The reflective, deeply personal tracks explored loss and grief, with Ed admitting that he didn't think he'd ever perform them live.
The Shape of You singer, who demanded phones be locked away during the gig, apologised to the crowd for crying but said it was part of his grieving process.
A source said: "It was an incredibly special night. The atmosphere inside the venue was very emotional and there were lots of tears.
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"To see someone as famous as Ed let his guard down in such an intimate gig really was a once in a lifetime moment.
"The new tracks sounded amazing. It's obvious he has poured his heart and soul into them."
Ed's last chart-topping album Equals was released last year.
During the two hour set, Ed also played his biggest hits and told fans tales from his journey to superstardom.
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He remembered his humble beginnings as an aspiring musician living locally in Finsbury Park and dreaming of playing inside the Chapel, before upping sticks and moving to Nashville for a change pace via Guildford.
The exclusive event, that saw 500,000 people apply for tickets, opened with Will Young talking about his own mental health battles and the loss of his twin brother Rupert to suicide in 2020.
It was the launch of For One Night Only, the first in a year-long programme of events in support of Wellstock.
Tickets for each exclusive money-can't-buy event can only be got through a charity prize draw.
