Ed Sheeran Surprises Subway Singer Mike Yung in Brooklyn

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Ed Sheeran surprised local New York City legend Mike Yung while he was performing Sheeran's song "Eyes Closed" at a Brooklyn subway station.

Yung first gained fame in 2016 when a video of him singing The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" in a subway station went viral.

Sheeran surprised Yung with tickets to his Brooklyn show at the Kings Theatre, where he performed his new album "Subtract" in full for the first time in America.

Sheeran's new album "Subtract" delves into the emotional turmoil he experienced due to personal tragedies, and he used songwriting as a form of therapy to make sense of his feelings and share his most honest and vulnerable self.

Sheeran shared a sneak peek of "Salt Water," a deeply emotional track inspired by some of the darkest times in his life, in the days leading up to the album's release.

Ed Sheeran recently surprised a local New York City legend, Mike Yung, while he was performing Sheeran’s song “Eyes Closed” at the Church Street subway station in Brooklyn.

The heartwarming encounter was captured on video and shared by the Instagram account @subwaycreatures.

A Viral Talent

Mike Yung, 62, first gained fame in 2016 when a video of him singing The Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” in a subway station went viral.

This led to an appearance on America’s Got Talent and the release of a studio album in 2018. 

Yung is also known for his cover of Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud,” which has amassed over 5.9 million views on YouTube.

The album delves into the emotional turmoil Sheeran experienced due to personal tragedies, including the sudden death of his best friend Jamal Edwards, his wife’s tumor diagnosis during her pregnancy, and a court case where he had to defend his integrity as a songwriter.

A Memorable Meeting

The video shows Yung belting out the chorus of “Eyes Closed” when Sheeran, 32, walks up and joins him, leading to a warm embrace between the two.

Sheeran then surprises Yung with tickets to his Brooklyn show at the Kings Theatre, where he performed his new album “Subtract” in full for the first time in America.

Yung later shared photos of his encounter with Sheeran and the concert tickets on his Instagram account, along with videos from his seat during the performance.

The audience remained silent during Sheeran’s emotional rendition of “Eyes Closed,” offering a rare intimate experience with the superstar artist.

Sheeran’s New Album: Subtract

Ed Sheeran first unveiled his new album “Subtract” in late March, followed by a mini-tour with performances in Manchester, London, Glasgow, Dublin, and Paris.

The album was announced in a heartfelt Instagram post, where Sheeran revealed that he had been working on it for nearly a decade.

The album delves into the emotional turmoil Sheeran experienced due to personal tragedies, including the sudden death of his best friend Jamal Edwards, his wife’s tumor diagnosis during her pregnancy, and a court case where he had to defend his integrity as a songwriter.

Through the creation of “Subtract,” Sheeran used songwriting as a form of therapy to make sense of his feelings and share his most honest and vulnerable self.

In the days leading up to the album’s release, Sheeran shared a sneak peek of “Salt Water,” a deeply emotional track inspired by some of the darkest times in his life.

He further explained in a video that “Salt Water” is a dark song that imagines the final moments of jumping into cold salt water, feeling a sense of freedom amidst the darkness.