Ed Sheeran Stopped from Busking in Bengaluru by Indian Police

• Feb 12, 2025

British pop star Ed Sheeran was prevented from busking in Bengaluru, India, after local police intervened, citing a lack of necessary permissions.

A video capturing a police officer unplugging Sheeran’s microphone on Church Street, a bustling shopping and entertainment hub in the city, has since gone viral. Officials told the ANI news agency that a request from Sheeran’s team to perform on the street was denied to prevent congestion in the area.

However, Sheeran contradicted this claim in an Instagram post, stating, "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 before Sheeran's scheduled concert at NICE Grounds in Bengaluru as part of his Mathematics Tour.

Fans criticized the police’s actions online, with one person commenting, "We live in an uncleocracy. And there's nothing uncles love more than to stop young people from having fun," referring to the often vague rules governing public spaces in India.

However, PC Mohan, a local Member of Parliament from the ruling BJP party, defended the intervention, stating, "Even global stars must follow local rules—no permit, no performance!"

Sheeran is currently on a 15-day tour of India for the second consecutive year, having already performed in Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai. His upcoming concerts are scheduled for Shillong in the northeast and the capital, Delhi.

At his Bengaluru show, Sheeran delighted fans by performing two popular Telugu songs alongside singer Shilpa Rao. Last year, he collaborated with Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh during Dosanjh’s concert in Birmingham. During this visit to India, Sheeran has also worked with sitar musician Megha Rawoot on a special version of his hit song Shape of You.

Live music concerts are growing in popularity across India, with Sheeran’s extensive tour following Dua Lipa’s recent performance in Mumbai and Coldplay’s multi-city tour. A recent report from the Bank of Baroda highlighted India’s emerging "concert economy," predicting the live music industry will soon be worth between $700 million and $900 million (£550-730 million) as disposable incomes rise.