In June 2024, British folk-pop singer Ed Sheeran—whose albums like +–=÷× (2021), with over 5 million copies sold, trace his evolution from acoustic ballads to orchestrated pop-rock with soul inflections—headlined day two of Rock in Rio Lisboa, the 20th anniversary of the European edition of the legendary Brazilian festival founded in 1985 by Roberto Medina as a global rock and pop platform in Lisbon's Tejo Park, where his set emerged as a key moment alongside Jonas Brothers and Carolina Deslandes. His 60-minute performance, delivered with a loop pedal and guitar in minimalist style, embodied the Mathematics Tour climax, alternating emotive ballads with festival anthems to spark euphoria before 80,000 under Lisbon sun. As a rare artifact of his European breakthrough, this show highlighted Sheeran's role as a minimalism master, turning the festival stage into a space of genuine connection.
Setlist: