Ed Sheeran and Diljit Dosanjh Wowed the Crowd with a Memorable Duet Performance in Mumbai
Ed Sheeran, the renowned British singer, took the stage in Mumbai over the weekend for an unforgettable collaboration with Indian artist Diljit Dosanjh. The pair performed a stunning rendition of Dosanjh’s hit track “Lover” in Punjabi, an electrifying moment that set India’s social media ablaze.
Both artists shared videos of their performance on Instagram, capturing the excitement and enthusiasm from the audience as Sheeran invited his singing partner onto the stage. In a heartfelt post, Sheeran expressed his gratitude for the experience and shared his anticipation for more to come.
Dosanjh, 40, is a prominent figure in the South Asian music scene and has been instrumental in introducing Punjabi music to an international audience. In 2023, he made history by becoming the first Punjabi artist to perform at Coachella.
Over the past decade and a half, Sheeran has come a long way from self-releasing his EPs and performing in small London bars. He is now one of modern pop’s most successful songwriters, currently embarking on his extensive “Mathematics” global tour.
An estimated 50,000 concertgoers gathered at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai for this unexpected appearance by Dosanjh. The Indian star electrified the audience as he hyped them up, while Sheeran delivered captivating performances on an acoustic guitar, contributing to the chorus of the hit song.
“We had no idea Diljit was going to be here, it felt like the moon had descended,” a fan shared in a video recap posted by Dosanjh. “I am still processing what just happened here, I am never going to forget this night,” another concertgoer added.
Spotify India praised the performance, commenting “we see fire on that stage” in reference to one of Sheeran’s popular hits. Fans and Indian celebrities on social media praised Dosanjh for bringing the British star to sing in an Indian language, with Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan calling it “global domination.”
Comedian Sahil Bulla was among those who shared their excitement, exclaiming “I was standing in the audience shrieking like a fan girl. This was the multiverse event nobody expected.” Another user wrote “Hats off to Diljit, this man has literally blown-up the Punjabi music scene making other artists wait for their collab.”
Dosanjh’s collaborations with English-speaking singers include last year’s bilingual track “Hass Hass” with Australian artist Sia. With the success of this collaboration and fan demand, international crossovers continue to be a topic of excitement among fans.
India is home to 23 official languages and hundreds of other mother tongues, with Punjabi being native to the Punjab region in India and neighboring Pakistan. Around the world, there are over 100 million speakers of Punjabi across the South Asian subcontinent and diaspora communities.
During the concert, Sheeran acknowledged the fans’ dedication to traveling long distances to attend the event. With hours of traffic congestion leading up to the venue, some fans even left their cars and walked the final stretch to the entrances. Sheeran expressed his appreciation for their efforts and promised to return to India in the future.
The event took place at the sprawling 225-acre Mahalaxmi Racecourse, equivalent to approximately 170 American football fields. Despite the significant size of the venue, roads leading to it were jammed with cars for hours before the concert began at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday. The traffic was a challenge for fans trying to reach the event, but Sheeran’s words of gratitude and commitment to returning left them with lasting memories.
