Dozens of young musicians at a Boston recital got a big surprise Saturday afternoon when Ed Sheeran showed up to their concert and joined them on stage.
Sheeran posted video on his Instagram account of his impromptu performance where he sang and danced at the Tobin Community Center in Boston's Mission Hill neighborhood alongside young performers of the "Boston Music Project."
The surprise came ahead of his Saturday night concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
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"Morning off in Boston so went to surprise this kids music group, was so fun," read his Instagram caption. "Onto the second stadium show now see ya later x."
The executive director of the youth development program spoke with NBC10 Boston about the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being on stage with the superstar.
“Just very sweet, very kind, and obviously he’s got a busy schedule, but you couldn’t tell. He was very calm and just excited to be there,” Christopher Schroeder said. "His foundation had donated thee guitars to the organization and was able to give it to one of the students right there on stage.”
About 150 family, friends and supporters of the young musicians who were in the audience were caught off guard by Sheeran's appearance and sheer generosity.
Members of the Boston Music Project and their friends and family were gifted with about six dozen tickets for Sheeran's Saturday night concert at Gillette.
“Right at the end of the concert, what was truly a surprise is he turned over to his tour manager and said ‘can we give tickets to all the performers?’” Schroeder recalled. "That was pretty awesome.”
Sheeran is known for giving back in Boston. Back in 2018, he performed for patients at Boston Children's Hospital.