The 2023 G20 Summit is here and India is playing host this year. Our country is currently hosting the most important world leaders including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US President Joe Biden, and the President of France Emmanuel Macron. From 9-10 September, these leaders will be addressing global economic and financial issues.
Hosting the 2023 G20 Summit is a great opportunity for India to showcase our heritage to the world. The venue for the event, the newly constructed Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre in New Delhi, has been decorated with lights, flowers, stone statues and the most astonishing of them all – an 8.5-metre statue of Nataraja that has been installed at the entrance.
However, to a lot of people’s disappointment, the world leaders were welcomed at the Delhi Airport while Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’ played in the background. To be more accurate, this was a Carnatic mix of the Ed Sheeran song.
#WATCH | G 20 in India | Cultural dance performance at Delhi airport to welcome Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who arrived to attend the G20 Summit, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/ZZHsn4lukZ
— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2023
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
#WATCH | G-20 in India | French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Delhi for the G-20 Summit. pic.twitter.com/yDNl6H83Pd
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2023
There was also a group of dancers who were dancing to the song. Their performance was a fusion of Indian classical and Western steps.
VIDEO | Cultural dance performance at Delhi airport to welcome Argentina President Alberto Fernandez, who has arrived to attend the G20 Summit.
(Source: Third Party)#G20SummitDelhi #G20Summit2023 pic.twitter.com/XjbBluV81s
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 8, 2023
However, many people found it inappropriate for ‘Shape of You’ to be played while welcoming the world leaders because of the lyrics of the song. In addition to that, there are plenty of songs by Indian artists that could have been used by the organizers but they chose not to do so.
Here’s what people have been saying on social media:
“Grab on my waist and put that body on me.”
That’s a line from Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You, the song they played to welcome Argentina’s President at Delhi airport.
Here’s some more:
“I’m in love with your body.
Last night you were in my room
And now my bedsheets smell like you.”— Amit Schandillia (@Schandillia) September 8, 2023
Welcoming dignitaries with a mash-up of “Shape of You” is Bharatiya Kulcha
— Grouchy Maxx (@softgrowl) September 9, 2023
🩳 cry about Santana and ancient culture n reviving everything lost but welcoming guests with shape of you …. Yeah kya mamla hai .. traditional dances , traditional crafts there’s so much and you chose Bollywood n pop. 🤷♀️
— Maria (@mariaa_awd) September 9, 2023
Nobody:
Indian govt: Indian culture Indian culture Indian culture
G20: ok then show us
Indian govt: andha Shape of You ke taalam potu kaatu da… https://t.co/WrPeHGFIfD— Gayatri (@G_y_tri) September 8, 2023
Looks like the government hired a kurla dj or someone from gurgaon farm house party to welcome the guests for the G20.
Pathetic choice of music!. How can you welcome a country's head on "I'm in love with the shape of you"
— Gaurav Singh (@singha9327) September 9, 2023
When @Schandillia tweeted this, I couldn't believe 'Shape of you' was played in Argentinian President's welcome. But then I keep forgetting the class of this lot. A country so rich in its Classical music and they thought Ed Sheeran was the best choice with some saregama thrown in https://t.co/kllz87Oz3F
— Sirf Celine (@SirfCeline2) September 8, 2023
yes our famous folk song with years of history that represents india's culture and heritage – ed sheeran's "shape of you" https://t.co/a79I4Y6MbE
— soup 🙂 (@notagirlbos) September 8, 2023
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
whoever made the g20 delegate welcome playlist is getting fired today
— yogoated takes™ (@awtitty) September 8, 2023
What’s the point of this? It’s neither Indian culture nor Argentine culture. Why couldn’t the organisers hire classical dance groups from all the Indian states to showcase our cultural diversity instead of this pathetic joke?
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) September 8, 2023
What are your views on this incident?