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English singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran, surprised his fans in New York City on Friday with an unexpected performance of his new single, Boat.
The 32-year-old artist hopped onto a car parked outside his American Express pop-up in Soho and treated his fans to an acoustic rendition of the song.
The Impromptu Performance
Wearing black pants, a black coat, and blue-and-orange Nikes, Sheeran grabbed his Subtract-branded guitar and sang “Boat” to the crowd, who cheered him on.
Sheeran even got off the car and paced around its roof as he performed his song. Onlookers could be seen enjoying the performance from their balconies, while fans outside sang along.
The Copyright Trial
The impromptu performance came a day after Sheeran was found not liable in a copyright lawsuit against him.
The suit was filed by Structured Asset Sales, who accused Sheeran of using elements of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” for his hit song “Thinking Out Loud.”
Sheeran expressed his relief at the jury’s decision and said that it would help protect the creative process of songwriters.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Sheeran said, “We have spent the last eight years talking about two songs with dramatically different lyrics, melodies, and four chords which are also different and used by songwriters every day, all over the world.”
Sheeran added that he was frustrated that “baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all” and called for the music community to “come together to bring back common sense.”
He also stressed the need for trusted individuals to help support the process of protecting copyright.
The New Album
Sheeran’s latest LP Subtract was just released, and it features a touching song about his daughter, Lyra Antarctica, who is 2½ years old.
The song, Dusty, was played by Sheeran for a crowd at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre before the album’s release. Sheeran explained that being a parent in times of real sadness has a massive juxtaposition to it.
He shared that he and his daughter have a routine in the morning where they pick a vinyl and listen to it while eating breakfast together.
Sheeran added that their music choices range from Black Sabbath to Norah Jones.
