How Ed Sheeran ended up crashing somebody’s proposal in New York

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The idea of a concert special didn’t exactly light up Ed Sheeran’s mind.

The popular English singer-songwriter admits he wasn’t interested whenever the idea was presented to him. He explains that the proposed tours – hitting the same theaters and cities – felt repetitive. ‘It was always the same old thing,’ he says.

I was really intrigued to hear how Ed Sheeran connected with Ben Winston, the guy who directs and produces amazing things – he’s famous for his work on the Grammys and created the super popular ‘Carpool Karaoke’ with James Corden. Apparently, Winston reached out to Sheeran directly.

Winston clarifies it was an email, not a phone call. “Ed doesn’t have a phone, so you can’t call him,” he explains. “You need to email him and hope he responds with a FaceTime call from his iPad.”

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Earlier this year, Winston had a compelling idea: create a single-take film of Ed Sheeran, similar to the hugely popular Netflix film “Adolescence,” but instead of a concert, follow Sheeran on a journey. He also suggested they hire the director of “Adolescence” to film it, believing they were the perfect fit for the project.

Ed Sheeran was enthusiastic about the concept, and so was Philip Barantini, the Emmy-winning director of the critically acclaimed miniseries about a young boy accused of a crime. Winston got Barantini’s contact information from James Corden and reached out to him immediately via WhatsApp.

Netflix recently released “One Shot with Ed Sheeran,” a new special where the singer, age 34, walks around New York City with his guitar, going between a soundcheck and a concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The entire hour-long performance is filmed as one continuous, unedited shot, and it’s clearly designed to promote Sheeran’s upcoming world tour for his new album, “Play.”

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After first gaining attention with his popular debut album a decade ago, and following success as a songwriter earning him a Grammy, Tobias Jesso Jr. has now released his second solo album, ‘Shine.’

Performing the entire special in one continuous take, with few opportunities for retakes, was a thrilling creative challenge for the performer, who has been entertaining audiences since he was a teenager.

Ed Sheeran explains that while he’s used to performing live – often solo with just his guitar and a loop pedal, even in huge stadiums – this particular performance felt different and more stressful. He’s so accustomed to his regular routine that he doesn’t get nervous anymore, but this time, he definitely felt the pressure.

Winston explains the team selected New York City as the location for “One Shot” because of its naturally cinematic quality – it already feels like a movie backdrop. The special features Ed Sheeran performing his songs in various iconic New York locations: while riding in a taxi, walking the High Line, during a surprise proposal serenade, and at a rooftop birthday party. Viewers also see him singing from the top of a double-decker bus and performing “Photograph” with Camila Cabello in a duet from inside a car stuck in traffic.

Sheeran admits they could have chosen a more peaceful location and tightly controlled access, ensuring a flawless event. However, he believes the energy and unpredictability of the situation actually made it more memorable.

Sheeran recorded the song only three times. The filmmakers captured a practice run on Sunday, hoping it would be good—but it wasn’t. Then, on Monday, he performed it twice, once in the morning and again in the evening. Three camera operators shared a small, mobile camera rig as Sheeran moved around the set, though the movement wasn’t always seamless.

Ed Sheeran described one proposal taking around two minutes, joking it felt like a reality show. He also remembered a birthday celebrant spontaneously jumping on stage and dancing for the entire song – though that moment didn’t make it into the final recording.

Barantini recalls initially being impressed, saying, ‘It was cool to watch.’ But his feelings quickly changed. ‘I started to worry and asked if we could bring her down,’ he explains. While the people involved were cast for the project, Ed Sheeran says they weren’t told they’d be interacting with him while he was out and about in New York City.

With “One Shot,” Winston continues his passion for exploring new musical directions, as he explains. He sees this project as similar to past endeavors, like having Adele perform outdoors at the Griffith Observatory for a 2021 CBS special and bringing Bruno Mars to the Apollo Theater for another CBS special in 2017.

Winston recalls that for the Olympic handover event, instead of holding it in a Paris stadium, he proposed a more unconventional approach: a concert featuring artists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Billie Eilish, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers on a beach in Los Angeles. He’s now taking on the role of executive producer for both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 Summer Olympics.

As a real cinema fan, I immediately thought of ‘Birdman’ when I heard about the Sheeran special – that film’s incredible, seemingly single-shot style is clearly something they were aiming for. And Sheeran himself pointed to a classic moment in ‘Goodfellas’ – that famous tracking shot with Ray Liotta and Lorraine Bracco walking into the Copacabana – as a big influence. It’s cool to see those iconic films inspiring something new.

However, everyone connected with “One Shot” is keen to point out that, unlike similar shows, theirs wasn’t planned or written in advance.

“It’s a lot more honest than you might think,” Winston says.

Sheeran remembers asking Cabello, while getting out of her car, if she wanted to have spaghetti Bolognese with him and his family that evening.

Barantini recalls telling the singer, “That was the only time you ever said that,” and remembering how he immediately told him, “That was really good – I loved the improvisation.” He chuckles, then adds that the singer, Ed, responded with, “But she’s coming to my place tonight.”

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2025-11-25 20:32