The remaining opening acts on Ed Sheeran’s ongoing tour, along with his backing band, have left the run in solidarity with Macklemore, who had been removed from his own opening slot after calling for a free Palestine.
On September 14, after being dropped from Sheeran’s tour, Macklemore released a statement in which he blamed both Sheeran and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft for removing him from future dates. Messina Touring Group, a subsidiary of AEG, confirmed that multiple venues had joined Kraft’s Gillette Stadium in opposing the rapper’s presence on the bill. In his post, Macklemore accused Kraft of rallying the owners of those venues to follow his lead. Sheeran eventually responded with a statement of his own, putting the blame on the promoter.
“After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting,” Sheeran wrote. “I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said.” He added, “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine.”
Following Sheeran’s post, the pop star’s remaining support acts—Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe—along with his backing band, Beoga, said they would leave the tour due to Macklemore’s removal. “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas posted on Instagram. In his own statement, Rowe wrote, “[As] Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine, and violent occupation. I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and the savage murder of children. I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.”
In his statement, Sheeran also addressed his commitment to political neutrality: “I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care.” He cited the presence of “young people, often children” at his concerts as part of his rationale. “I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary,” Sheeran added, “to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change.”
The statement concludes, “I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.” Read it in full below.
During Macklemore’s opening sets for Sheeran, he showed footage of the destruction in Gaza and performed “Hind’s Hall,” his song named for Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old killed by the Israeli military. “So why is it an issue now?” Macklemore wrote. “Because now I’m sharing a stage with one of the biggest artists in the world, in some of the biggest stadiums in America. At a certain level of exposure, ‘Free Palestine’ becomes too much of a risk.” Macklemore has publicly opposed Israel’s war in Gaza for years.
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)—one of the primary organizations behind the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) initiative—has called on Sheeran to cancel his tour entirely. In a direct response to Sheeran’s statement, PACBI wrote, “Ed Sheeran’s misleading statement attempts to ‘both-sides’ Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and claims to support “peace” yet fails to even mention its crucial condition—justice.”
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