Mumbai, Feb 3 (IANS): American singer Ed Sheeran recently took a moment to express his heartfelt gratitude toward Armaan Malik, calling him not just a talented artist but a true friend.

The global music sensation praised the Indian singer for his incredible performance as the opening act during his concert in Hyderabad, acknowledging the special energy Armaan brought to the stage. In a video circulating on social media, Sheeran can be heard saying, “I met this man in 2021, and it's been quite a journey together... He is such a good friend, and I’m glad he came here tonight. Please make some noise for Armaan Malik.”

Sheeran is currently on his Mathematics tour across India, performing in six cities: Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi NCR, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Shillong. He performed at Hyderabad’s Ramoji Film City on February 2, with Armaan Malik opening the concert.

Armaan shared the exciting news of his performance with Ed Sheeran on Instagram, captioning it, “See you tonight, Hyderabad! Doing a special set for Ed in your beautiful city.”

Speaking about his approach to collaborations, the Indian singer shared, “I love collaborating with like-minded artists who share the same kind of energy as me, and after our ‘2Step’ remix in 2022 and sharing the stage with Ed Sheeran last year, I had to bring a special set to open for his show tonight in Hyderabad, a city that’s always given me so much love. It’s an absolute honor, and I can’t wait to step on that stage and share this unforgettable night with everyone.”

Interestingly, during Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics tour in India last year, he took the opportunity to catch up with Malik before his concert in Mumbai. The two even shared a fun moment when the British singer danced to Armaan’s hit song Butta Bomma from the 2020 blockbuster Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, starring Allu Arjun and Pooja Hegde.

Sheeran and Malik have previously joined forces on the Indian remix of Ed’s hit song "2Step."