The music world is buzzing with anticipation over rumors that Ed Sheeran, the soulful British singer-songwriter, will bring his longtime friend and collaborator Taylor Swift onstage during his 2025 European tour for a heart-wrenching duet of one of their iconic hits. The pair, whose friendship has spanned over a decade, last shared the stage in August 2024 at Swift’s Eras Tour in London, performing a medley of “Everything Has Changed,” “End Game,” and Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” to a roaring crowd of 92,000. Now, fans are speculating that Sheeran’s +–=÷× (Mathematics) Tour, kicking off in Madrid on May 30, 2025, will feature Swift as a surprise guest, reigniting nostalgia for their chart-topping collaborations. Which hit will they perform, and why is this moment so emotional? Let’s dive into the story.
A Surprise Reunion on Sheeran’s 2025 Tour
While no official confirmation exists for Swift joining Sheeran’s 2025 tour, the rumor stems from their deep bond and recent onstage chemistry. Sheeran’s tour, spanning cities like Madrid, Marseille, Rome, and Suffolk, is set to showcase his acoustic-driven hits, with dates listed on Ticketmaster. Fans speculate that Swift, 35, could appear at a high-profile show, such as the July 11–13 dates at Portman Road in Suffolk, UK, given their history of surprising audiences. Their August 15, 2024, performance at Wembley Stadium, where Swift called Sheeran her “second brother,” left fans craving more, with X posts like, “Ed and Taylor together again? I’m not ready to cry! 😭.”
The duet would likely occur during Sheeran’s acoustic set, mirroring the surprise song segment of Swift’s Eras Tour. The chosen hit is rumored to be “Everything Has Changed,” their 2012 collaboration from Swift’s Red album, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Musical Collaboration at the 2014 Radio Disney Music Awards. The song’s tender lyrics about newfound love resonate with their early friendship, formed when Sheeran opened for Swift’s Red Tour in 2013. Alternatively, “End Game” from Swift’s 2017 Reputation album, featuring Sheeran and Future, could make the setlist for its bold, nostalgic energy.
Why This Duet Hits So Hard
The emotional weight of a 2025 duet lies in Swift and Sheeran’s history. Since meeting in 2012, they’ve collaborated on four songs: “Everything Has Changed,” “End Game,” “Run” (from Red (Taylor’s Version)), and Sheeran’s “The Joker and the Queen” in 2022. Their friendship, marked by moments like Swift gifting Sheeran homemade jam in 2013 and Sheeran dressing as a clown for her 2013 Nashville show, is a fan favorite. Swift told Rolling Stone in 2017, “He’s the James Taylor to my Carole King,” while Sheeran, on Call Her Daddy in April 2025, recalled spending “every single day” with Swift during the Red Tour, flying to gigs together from Nashville.
Their August 2024 Wembley performance, where they mashed up their duets with “Thinking Out Loud,” was a tearjerker, with Swift praising Sheeran’s work ethic: “He’s on tour right now and probably so tired, but he wanted to play for you.” The green-lit wristbands, matching Sheeran’s X (Multiply) album, amplified the nostalgia. Fans on X posted, “Taylor and Ed singing ‘Everything Has Changed’ brought back 2012—I’m sobbing! 💔.” A 2025 duet would tap into this sentiment, evoking memories of their early careers when Swift was a country-pop prodigy and Sheeran a rising folk star.
The choice of “Everything Has Changed” would be especially poignant. Its lyrics—“All I know is we said, ‘Hello,’ and your eyes look like coming home”—mirror their friendship’s organic start, as Sheeran recounted meeting Swift in London to share “Thinking Out Loud” in 2014. For fans, the song is a time capsule of 2012’s simpler pop era, before Swift’s 1989 reinvention and Sheeran’s global stadium dominance.
Who’s Designing the Moment?
The rumored performance’s emotional impact could be heightened by Sheeran’s tour production, led by creative teams known for intimate yet grand staging, per Rolling Stone’s coverage of his 2024 shows. The stage might feature minimalistic visuals—perhaps a single spotlight and acoustic guitars—to let their voices shine, with wristbands glowing red for Red’s era. Swift, who wrapped her Eras Tour in December 2024, could bring her storytelling flair, maybe sharing a Red Tour anecdote before the duet, as she did in London: “Every time I’m doing the Red part, I think of the memories we’ve made.”
Speculation also swirls about a special guest designer for the moment. Could it be Ethan Tobman, Swift’s Eras Tour creative director, crafting a nostalgic backdrop? Or perhaps Rihanna, a mutual friend, contributing a Fenty-inspired stage element, given her recent pregnancy buzz? X fans lean toward Tobman, with one tweeting, “If Ethan’s designing Ed and Taylor’s 2025 duet, it’s gonna be a Red era fever dream! 🎤.”
Public and Celebrity Reactions
Fans are already emotional, with X posts like, “Ed bringing Taylor out in 2025 for ‘Everything Has Changed’? I’ll need tissues! 😭.” Another wrote, “Their friendship is everything—please make this duet happen! 🫶.” Celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter, who attended the 2025 Met Gala, could weigh in, given her ties to Swift’s circle. Paramore, who opened for Swift’s Eras Tour, might also celebrate, with Hayley Williams potentially tweeting support, as she did for Swift’s 2024 London shows.
What’s Next for Swift and Sheeran?
Sheeran’s 2025 tour, running through July, is his focus, with new music like “Under The Tree” for That Christmas hinting at creative momentum. Swift, post-Eras Tour, is rumored to be working on Reputation (Taylor’s Version), where “End Game” with Sheeran could be re-recorded, as he noted on the Deep & Shallow Podcast in 2023. A 2025 duet could tease this release, or even a new collaboration, given Sheeran’s Apple Music comment about their “hour-20” therapy-like talks.
For now, the rumor of Swift joining Sheeran’s tour is a fan’s dream, promising a nostalgic, tear-jerking moment. Will they sing “Everything Has Changed” to relive 2012? Or surprise with “End Game” for a Reputation twist? Share your hopes below! 🎤💔
