Ed Sheeran grins and finds love once more in Tenerife before a crowd of over 35,000 people


Initially, there was silence, followed by anticipation, and then, as though a divine apparition, the British vocalist Ed Sheeran leaped onto the stage this Saturday in Tenerife to the adoration of more than 35,000 fans with a fresh artistic concept that featured a band, although his vocals and guitar remained the focal point in a presentation of overwhelming emotion.

The Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium, situated in the capital of Tenerife, was selected by the artist for his singular appearance in Spain as part of the “+-=÷x” tour, during which he sold out all tickets within minutes, showcasing his greatest hits.

Expectations were towering among the attendees, who filled the vicinity of the venue early in the day, braving the scorching heat, eager to secure a spot close to the stage and revel in the performance by their idol on an island to which he holds a deep bond.

Cheers and screams erupted with the initial chords of “Castle on the Hill”, succeeded by “Shivers” and “I’ma Mess”, a brief journey through his discography spanning from his rapid ascent to fame to the exploration of melancholy and vulnerability in his recent releases.

Throughout his career, the artist has been known for singing about love, with a tender and faithful perspective where establishing a family was a cherished dream. However, recent events in his life – such as his wife’s tumour diagnosis during pregnancy, the passing of his friend and producer Jamal Edwards, and the legal battle over his hit “Shape of You” – have challenged this vision.

A series of complications that underpinned the emotional depth of his last two albums, Substract (2023) and Autumn Variations (2023), which had little presence during his performance, as the spotlight remained on “+” (2011), “x” (2014), “÷ Divide” (2017), “= Equals” (2021), a mathematical puzzle with a clear solution: the storm has passed, and the beloved artist once again looks towards the future with optimism.

Sheeran delivered an almost two-hour show sporting a t-shirt that read “Tenerif”, resembling the typical souvenir for island visitors, another testament to his strong connection to a place he has permanently marked on his arm. Numerous rumours have circulated about his ties to Tenerife, including claims that his family owns a residence in the town of Adeje or that he proposed to his wife in Vilaflor.

Strumming his guitar, accompanied by fireworks and exuding boundless energy, about twenty minutes into the show, the British artist succeeded in having the entire audience illuminate the stadium by switching on their phone torches to sing “A Team” collectively, his inaugural hit, bidding farewell to the sunset-tinged sky.

As night descended and introductions were made, a fiery spectacle encircled the singer to the rhythm of “Don’t”, igniting euphoria among all attendees, experiencing, as explained by the vocalist, a novel live performance embellished with a band presence after more than a decade of solo performances on stage.

One of the standout moments was when the artist performed “Galway Girl” accompanied by a violinist and fireworks or when he invited his compatriot and fellow vocalist Callum Scott, who had opened the show hours earlier, to share the stage for a rendition of “You are the reason”.

Yet, one of the most poignant instances of the day unfolded during his rendition of “Tenerife Sea”, a tender song in which he likens the blue of the ocean hugging the island to the hue of his children’s mother’s eyes, whom he met in school and professed in the lyrics that he is “in love, very much in love.”

This was followed by “Happier” and “Perfect”, a selection that hints at his current state of mind, post conquering “the fear, depression and anxiety” he’d grappled with in recent years, as revealed in various interviews, up until his wife’s recovery from illness and the birth of their second daughter.

Subsequently, Sheeran commenced bidding farewell to the audience, donning a Club Deportivo Tenerife tee and performing his worldwide smash hit “Shape of You”.

A genuine icon in his illustrious career, igniting frenzied adulation and serving as an overture to “Bad Habits”, the conclusion of a spectacle that seemed to hint to those present that the events of this Saturday in Tenerife may become a habitual indulgence to be revisited in the future.