At the BottleRock Napa Valley Festival on May 26, fans were treated to an unexpected collaboration when pop superstar Ed Sheeran joined The Offspring on stage, for a surprise performance of “Million Miles Away,” a song that the group had not played live since 2016.
Before diving into the 2000 hit from their album “Conspiracy Of One,” The Offspring‘s frontman Bryan “Dexter” Holland shared a touching anecdote with the audience. “Ed told us that one of our records was the first CD that he ever bought when he was a kid. That really meant a lot to us, so we thought, ‘Wow, we’d love to have you come out to join us on stage.’ We’re gonna play one of the songs you wanted to play,” Holland recounted.
Sheeran, who was scheduled to perform later that evening on the main JaM Cellars Stage, took up the guitar and exchanged verses with Holland during the performance. A professionally filmed video of the occasion can be watched below.
On Instagram, Sheeran expressed his deep admiration for The Offspring. “The first album I ever bought was the @Offspring – Conspiracy of One,” he wrote. “I used to pretend to be in their band in the mirror and sing along to the album when I was 9, mostly to their song Million Miles Away as it was the first song of theirs I heard. I mentioned it in an interview and Noodles / Dexter got in touch with me when we found out we were all playing the same festival, to see if I wanted to get on stage and sing it. It was an instant yes obvz. Really felt like living out a childhood dream thank you for having me up there guys. Music is a wild ride, every day I’m so grateful to be living my dream in reality. Hope you enjoy the vid x”.
Sheeran, known for his eclectic musical tastes, recently collaborated with British metal band Cradle of Filth on a track set to be released for charity, highlighting his diverse influences and love for rock and heavy metal.