Ed Sheeran is handing creative control to fans on his upcoming Loop Tour, inviting concertgoers across Australia and New Zealand to help shape each night’s setlist in real time.

Ahead of the tour’s opening shows in Auckland, the singer-songwriter revealed that every performance will include a dedicated fan-driven segment, with audiences able to vote for songs they want to hear on the night. The interactive element will allow fans to request deep cuts, older favourites or unexpected tracks — not just current chart hits.

In an Instagram Story shared on January 15, Sheeran explained how the process will work inside the venues. A phone number will appear on screens before the show begins, prompting fans to text in their song choices. The requests will then be counted live, with the most popular selections earning a place in the set.

“So tomorrow, if you are at the gig, there will be a big thing on the screen before it begins where it will say ‘text in song recommendations,’” Sheeran said.

“There’s five slots in the gig where I’ll play any song that you guys decide.”

He added that the idea isn’t limited to his recent releases and that he is willing to revisit any track from his extensive catalogue if fans demand it.

“So whatever song you wanna hear at the gig, go look at the screen, text it, and it’ll basically tally up the songs, and I will play those songs, whatever the song is,” he said.

“I will learn it before the show. So, surprise me and see you tomorrow.”

The Loop Tour begins with two shows at Go Media Stadium in Auckland, before moving on to dates in Wellington and Christchurch. From there, Sheeran will head to Australia, where the stadium-heavy run reflects the scale of demand he continues to command in the region.

@lumiere_darlings Loop Tour kicked off in Auckland! Looked like so much fun! @Ed Sheeran @Ed Sheeran HQ @Teddys Tours #edsheeran #looptour ♬ Cool Attitude (Vox) - Ah2

The Australian leg opens with back-to-back nights at Optus Stadium in Perth on January 31 and February 1, before continuing to Accor Stadium in Sydney from February 13 to 15. He will then play Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane from February 20 to 22, followed by Marvel Stadium in Melbourne from February 26 to 28, with the tour wrapping up at Adelaide Oval on March 5.

The tour supports Sheeran’s latest album Play, which includes singles “Azizam”, “Sapphire” and “Old Phone”. While the album marks a new chapter sonically, the Loop Tour concept leans heavily into Sheeran’s reputation as a live performer capable of reworking songs on the fly using his signature loop-pedal setup.

Across the tour, Sheeran will be joined by a rotating lineup of special guests. Vance Joy and Mia Wray will appear on all dates, with BIIRD supporting the New Zealand shows and the Perth dates, while Aaron Rowe will join the bill in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide.

The fan-chosen setlist idea builds on Sheeran’s long-standing emphasis on audience connection, particularly in live settings where improvisation and storytelling play a central role. For fans, it offers a rare chance to influence the show itself — and potentially hear songs that haven’t been performed live in years.

Tickets for the Loop Tour are currently on sale, with shows expected to sell out quickly given Sheeran’s track record across both countries.

WATCH: Ed Sheeran Perform 'Drive' With Dave Grohl, John Mayer And More

Ed Sheeran played his single 'Drive' with a star studded band which included the likes of Foo Fighters' lead singer Dave Grohl and John Mayer.

This happened after the singer appeared on ABC talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he delivered a live cover of the collaborative song from the F1 film soundtrack. You can check it out below.

While on stage, Ed Sheeran was joined by Dave Grohl on drums, and his Foos bandmate Rami Jaffee on a track where the Suffolk singer played electric guitar on 'Drive', which he had previously described as "a proper rock song".

Elsewhere, the live band also included Blake Slatkin on guitar and Pino Palladino on bass. The track was co written and co produced by Slatkin and Mayer. It also included backing singers who performed on stage. Check that out here.

Releasing the track last Summer, Sheeran said: “I knew that I wanted to make a proper rock song for [F1], a proper driving song. Something you’d wanna turn up to the fullest amount whilst driving". 

The singer also added that Grohl and Palladino were “the final jigsaw pieces of the song”, adding that his collaborators were a “pure dream team for the genre of rock”.

“I really feel what we created fits the scene in the movie so well,” Sheeran said. […] “I’m so honoured to work with such great musicians on it, and hope you guys love the end result". 

'Drive' also received an Oscars nod for Best Original Song last month, featuring cuts from Nick Cave, KPop Demon Hunters, Nine Inch Nails, Miley Cyrus and more.

Last month, Ed Sheeran denied rumours of a row between him and Taylor Swift, saying that the pair had a four hour conversation.

This comes amid speculation that the pair had fallen out earlier this year, when Swift announced her engagement to Travis Kelce, with Sheeran revealing that he had learned about it from her Instagram post like everyone else.

“I’m not self-conscious about my relationship with her. We’ve been friends for very, very many years. We’re super close and we see each other when we see each other, and when we see each other, we lock back into where we left off", Sheeran said in a previous interview.

“My way of viewing it is like, me and Taylor are mates and I will see her… And I saw her a week after that happened, so I did that interview and then I saw her and you talk in person".