{
  "id": 8641980,
  "title": "Ed Sheeran cries onstage and introduces his new backing band: Who are the musicians?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/ed-sheeran-cries-onstage-and-introduces-his-new-backing-band-who-are",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T06:43:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/ed-sheeran-cries-onstage-and-introduces-his-new-backing-band-who-are-the-musicians-1.500681149"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ed Sheeran made his return to the stage in Philadelphia on Saturday night, performing in front of an unfamiliar band and delivering an emotional speech to the audience. The singer broke down while addressing the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field, marking his first concert since four supporting acts dropped out due to the removal of Macklemore from the Loop Tour.\n\nSheeran apologized for the abrupt lineup change, explaining that he had spent a week trying to find musicians willing to join him on stage. The most recognizable name in the new band was Alicia Enstrom, a violinist, composer, and producer who has previously toured with Sheeran. Enstrom was the only name the crowd recognized as she joined him during the performance of Galway Girl.\n\nThe remaining members of the backing band - Mike on drums, CJ on keys, Eric on bass, and Clay on guitar - were assembled within days and given three days to learn the songs. Although they had limited time to prepare, Sheeran assured the audience that they were dedicated to delivering a memorable performance.\n\nThe addition of the new musicians presented a challenge for the singer, who had to explain the situation to the crowd before bringing them on stage. He emphasized that the five new members had agreed to join him while people believed he was a certain type of artist, highlighting the contrast between his public image and reality. Despite the unexpected turn of events, Sheeran successfully completed his concert, delivering an intimate and heartfelt performance in front of the new backing band.",
  "summary": "Dubai: Ed Sheeran walked onto a Philadelphia stage on Saturday night with a band nobody had heard of, an apology, and a speech he had spent a week avoiding. The singer wept while addressing the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field, in his first concert since four supporting acts abandoned the Loop Tour over the removal of Macklemore. He also confirmed the lineup of the musicians who had agreed to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}