‘Is this Bharat?’: Ed Sheeran remix at G20 airport welcome draws amusement, ire on social media

As leaders of the G20 countries arrived in India on Friday for the organisation’s summit on Saturday, the song-and-dance welcome items at Delhi airport attracted surprise and exasperation.

Coming in for special attention on Twitter was the decision to have a troupe dance to a remixed version of British musician Ed Sheeran’s 2017 hit Shape of You overlaid with Indian elements as US President Joe Biden alighted from his plane.

Among other things, many questioned the appropriateness of the rather risque lyrics for the occasion.

The same song greeted Argentine President Alberto Fernandes and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Biden arrives in India as nearby band welcomes him with Ed Sheeran song “Shape of You” pic.twitter.com/Zy77W2ZpG0— Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) September 8, 2023

“Embarrassing at the least,” tweeted Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate.

We are welcoming foreign heads of state with ‘Shape of you’ by Ed Sheeran?!?!

Lyrics that follow

‘Grab on my waist and put that body on me.…I’m in love with your body. Last night you were in my room. And now my bedsheets smell like you’

Embarrassing at the least

???? @ANI pic.twitter.com/YYAB7bihlV— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) September 8, 2023

Here are some other reactions.

Ed Sheeran's Shape of You is part of our culture now? ????????‍♀️

If you sprinkle some "sa ni dha pa" over it like salt, it doesn't make it cultural either. ????????‍♀️ https://t.co/wffLBHpdW8— Narayani...

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