“Never in our wildest dreams.”
This was what popular nine-piece folk-pop band Ben&Ben said after it was announced they would open for Grammy award-winning British singer Ed Sheeran in his Philippine concert.
The OPM band on Tuesday happily exclaimed they are among the special guests in the artist’s “+ – = ÷ x Tour” or “The Mathematics Tour” that will happen at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City on March 9.
British singer Calum Scott is also a special guest in Ed’s fourth concert tour.
“Ma, special guest na kami ni @edsheeran sa concert niya,” the Pinoy band said on February 27 with a loudly crying face emoji.
“Parang dati lang, nagco-cover lang kami ng ‘Perfect’ sa YouTube,” Ben&Ben said, referring to Ed’s 2017 hit.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we think this could happen. Surreal,” they said on the X (formerly Twitter) platform.
Ma, special guest na kami ni @edsheeran sa concert niya 😭
parang dati lang, nagcocover lang kami ng “perfect” sa Youtube. Never in our wildest dreams did we think this could happen. Surreal. pic.twitter.com/nPlrmMQV0N
— Ben&Ben (@BenAndBenMusic) February 27, 2024
The band also shared a screengrab of the cover they did on YouTube in 2017.
“Throwback! Ibang-iba pa itsura namin [noon]. Andami na pala nating pinagdaanan, Liwanag,” they commented with a heart hands emoji.
Throwback! Ibang iba pa itsura namin nun. Andami na pala nating pinagdaanan, Liwanag 🫶 pic.twitter.com/5RO1EKqvKE
— Ben&Ben (@BenAndBenMusic) February 27, 2024
Ed’s “Perfect” was the band’s “very first cover” of a song, which earned a warm reception among Pinoys before.
A fan recalled that the band performed in the “Divide” album launch of the British singer at the UP Town Center in 2017.
“That was after your cover for ‘Perfect’ went viral! (heart and angel face emojis) I was there!! Happy that will be able to see you at the upcoming concert!” the fan exclaimed.
Ben&Ben and you guys performed before in the Ed Sheeran Divide album launched in UP TOWN CENTER way back 2017!! That was after your cover for Perfect went viral! 😇❤️
I was there!! Happy that will be able to see you in the upcoming concert! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/rsfrEFbucW
— Jaja (@jajatoots) February 27, 2024
Ben&Ben is composed of twin brothers Miguel Benjamin and Paolo Benjamin on acoustic guitars and vocals, Poch Barretto on electric guitar, Keifer Cabugao on violin, Andrew De Pano and Toni Munoz on percussion, Pat Lasaten on keyboards, Agnes Reoma on bass, and Jam Villanueva on drums.
Some of their famous songs include “Leaves,” “Make It With You,” “Panindigan Kita,” “Maybe The Night” and “Pagtingin.”
The band has received numerous awards, including an Asia Artist Award, an Aliw Award, an NME Award, two Myx Music Awards and 16 Awit Awards.
In 2020, they placed 29th on the Billboard Social Top 50 Chart, and Spotify recognized them as the most-streamed Filipino artist of all time for having more than two billion streams.
