INDIO - Ed Sheeran made his Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival debut on Saturday, and the crowd couldn't wait for his moment.

Sheeran was announced as a surprise lineup artist when the festival set times were released two weeks ago. During Weekend 1, Weezer played during the same slot time on April 12.

Though he was scheduled to play early in the day, that didn't stop tired fans from trekking to the Mojave tent. The crowd was so eagerly awaiting his performance that festivalgoers were packed into the venue 20 minutes before the start of his set.

Seeing how many people showed up, it's bewildering that the Brit has never played at the festival. The enthusiastic response to his set, during which he impressed the audience with how he built up songs with a looping track by himself, will hopefully earn him a return ticket to the fest. Sheeran showed authenticity, wore his heart on his sleeve, and displayed sheer talent during his hour-long show, reminding us that he's the real deal.

Sheeran was recently named one of Time's 100 most influential people of 2025 for his "supernatural ability to connect" through his songs, voices, and words, according to Chris Hemsworth. That was on full display from the start when he started playing "Castle on the Hill" and got the crowd going crazy right away. The bass vibrated so starkly during the song that it felt like an earthquake, but it was just the magnitude of Sheeran's star power.

Story Date: April 23, 2025