Luke Gittins: The Music Detective Behind Ed Sheeran’s Unreleased Track

In an era when music can be produced, packaged, and forgotten in a scroll, one young musician reminded the world that creativity, curiosity, and pure passion still move people — and even catch the attention of global superstars.

Who Is Luke Gittins — and Why Is the Internet Talking About Him?

Luke Gittins, a 24-year-old guitar teacher from Chippenham, Wiltshire, wasn’t trying to go viral. He was just a music fan with a guitar, a loop pedal, and a deep admiration for Ed Sheeran.

But when Sheeran teased clips of an unreleased track titled “Azizam”, Luke saw a challenge. Without access to the full song, he used the snippets floating around online to reconstruct the melody, harmonies, and progression — essentially reverse-engineering the track.

“There were lots of teasers,” Luke said with a smile. “So I turned detective and pieced them all together. I just wanted to see if I could get close.”

Ed Sheeran: The Global Star with the Loop Pedal Magic

To understand why Luke’s dedication struck such a chord, it helps to know the artist behind the original track.

Ed Sheeran, known for blending acoustic storytelling with pop innovation, often performs entire arena sets solo — building every song live using just his guitar and a loop pedal. It’s part of what’s made his sound and performances so unique.

“Ed’s loop pedal sets are kind of mind-blowing,” Luke admitted. “I’d never even used one before this cover. I had to teach myself just to get close to his setup.”

From Bedroom Cover to Sheeran’s Instagram

What happened next was beyond anything Luke imagined.

Before Azizam officially dropped, Ed Sheeran himself reposted Luke’s cover on Instagram, writing:

“This is insane. Huge respect.”

The recognition hit hard.

“There’s no higher privilege than having the person who wrote the song share your version,” Luke said. “It felt like a dream.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Luke Gittins (@lukegittinsmusic)

A Flashback to an Unexpected Duet

This isn’t the first time Sheeran has acknowledged Luke’s talent. Back in March 2023, during a concert at London’s O2 Arena, Luke was pulled from the crowd and invited to duet “The A Team” live with Ed — a moment that went viral across social platforms.

Still, Luke stays humble.

“I don’t expect any of this,” he said. “I just love playing music. If I can share that with people, that’s enough.”

The Birth of a Viral Trend: Musical Puzzle Covers

Luke’s cover of Azizam has unintentionally sparked a global trend: musicians now challenge themselves to recreate unreleased songs using only teaser clips — a kind of “music detective” challenge.

“It’s like a puzzle,” Luke said. “You’re not just copying — you’re guessing, creating, filling in the blanks. It pushes you to be more creative.”

Social media is now full of hashtags like #PreReleaseCovers and #LoopChallenge, inspired by his work.

A Global Reaction: Fans and Musicians Join In

Luke’s creative leap didn’t just catch Ed Sheeran’s eye — it lit up the music community.

Fellow musicians praised the cover as “insanely accurate” and “better than some official remixes,” while fans flooded the comments with admiration:

“This gave me chills — even without knowing the full song yet!”
“How did you recreate a track that’s not even out? Genius!”
“Ed needs to do an official collab with this guy.”

Producers and loop artists on TikTok began stitching Luke’s video, breaking down his layers and admiring his precision. Some even challenged themselves to recreate Azizam using fewer clips than Luke had — turning his approach into a creative competition.

“This isn’t just a cover,” one TikTok user commented, “it’s a masterclass in listening.”

Music educators praised the video as a perfect example of ear training, arrangement, and live performance skills — inspiring both students and teachers to try similar challenges.

Where to Find Luke

Fans can find more of Luke’s music and covers on his social channels:

• 🎸 Instagram: @lukegittinsmusic
• 📺 YouTube: Luke Gittins
• 🎧 TikTok: @lukegittins

Why This Story Resonates

In a time when musical fame is often calculated in clicks and trends, Luke’s story feels different. He didn’t chase clout — he chased the music. And in doing so, he reconnected us with what makes music magical in the first place: curiosity, connection, and joy.

“Maybe one day,” Luke says, “someone will cover a song of mine before I even release it. That would be the full circle.”