The British singer-songwriter made history as the first international music artist to perform in South Asia, holding a concert in Bhutan. At Thimphu’s Changlimithang Stadium, he wowed the crowd with hit songs like “Shape of You” and “Perfect.” For Bhutan, this concert is a major milestone in its cultural scene. For Ed Sheeran, it’s just another stop on his ongoing international tour.
He posted on social media after the performance, saying he was grateful and excited to share his music with the people of Bhutan. He took to Instagram to give praise to Bhutan: “Had the honor to be the first-ever international artist to play Bhutan last night. What a gig, what a country, what a beautiful place with incredible people.” The video that accompanied it showed him capturing the highlights of his sojourn in Bhutan, where he mused about what made the experience unlike any other.
First stop of the Mathematics tour 2025! Thank you Bhutan🧡🇧🇹 pic.twitter.com/tjV31HRIHT
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Ed Sheeran HQ (@edsheeran) January 25, 2025
In the video, Sheeran confessed how he was in awe of the scenic beauty of the country and said, “It’s mad that this is the first international concert here. I hope that there’s many more to come.” His emotional attachment to the country and its people was clearly visible, and he humorously added, “Lemme know if I can move there, please, and thank you.”
He had dinner with the Bhutan royal couple, King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun Pema, one of the most special experiences of his visit. He recalled the experience: “I went for dinner with the king and queen yesterday and they said, ‘We just want people coming to the country that want to love and respect the country and understand the ideals.’ I feel super honored that I was chosen.”
The royal couple’s warm words and the Bhutanese people’s warmth left an indelible mark on Sheeran, who thanked the country for the opportunity to perform there. “What a beautiful place with incredible people,” he added in his social media post, further emphasizing the beauty of the country and its people’s kindness.
It was a one-time experience for Sheeran to perform in Bhutan. During his concert, he spoke about how he has traveled the world for performances but never came across a place like Bhutan. The intimacy of the venue and the enthusiastic response of the Bhutanese audience created a magical atmosphere.
It did not only mark a professional milestone for Sheeran but helped direct the world’s attention to Bhutan as the newest destination for international artists. The hope among the Bhutanese fans was conveyed by Sheeran himself in his Instagram post that more such global acts will come following in his footsteps toward increasing greater cultural exchange between Bhutan and the world of international music.
Sheeran’s visit to Bhutan is part of his ongoing tour in Asia, where he is performing across various countries, including India, Qatar, and Bahrain. The singer has been vocal about his excitement for these performances, sharing with his fans on social media that 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for his music journey.
He posted, “Coming back to India for my biggest ever tour of your beautiful country. Also came to play in Bhutan for the first time,” thus making the concert in Bhutan a very special part of his global tour.
