Multiple supporting acts have withdrawn from Ed Sheeran’s tour following the dismissal of rapper Macklemore. Macklemore was removed from the lineup after venue pressure prompted by his pro-Palestinian remarks and performance of “Hind’s Hall” during a New Jersey concert.
Macklemore’s Onstage Plea and Subsequent Tour Removal
The controversy began after Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, joined Sheeran’s “Loop” tour in New Jersey earlier this month. During his performances at MetLife Stadium on September 4 and 5, the rapper addressed the audience with the phrase “Free Palestine” before performing his protest anthem “Hind’s Hall.”
The on-stage statements quickly drew external pressure. Macklemore announced Monday that he was no longer on the tour after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft called Sheeran and threatened to cancel Sheeran’s planned tour if Macklemore was still performing.
Macklemore stated that he did not need 10 shows from Ed, but rather needed two, noting they were two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say the words that somehow became too dangerous to say, namely Free Palestine, adding that if those words cost him the stage while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour he had ever been on. Macklemore
Macklemore also specified that his “Free Palestinecomments were
in no way a criticism” of Jewish people, stating that his message was for peace. He also drew attention to the real victims of the situation, referencing singer P!nk’s involvement in the social media circulation of response to Macklemore’s plea and then protest song performance. Macklemore previously canceled a show in Dubai, citing the United Arab Emirates role in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis
in Sudan.
Ed Sheeran Clarifies Promoter Decision and Venue Pressure
As public backlash mounted over the removal, Ed Sheeran released a statement Tuesday morning clarifying that dropping Macklemore was not his decision. The “Shape of You” and “Azizam” singer stated that he spent a week trying to build bridges after venues began to reach out to him to say they would pull his shows if Macklemore was still a supporting act.
Sheeran explained that he was informed this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than everything that was said. While acknowledging that he spoke at length with individuals including Robert Kraft, Sheeran noted that Messina Touring Group, the promoter for his tour, held the contract with Macklemore and chose to drop the rapper. Sheeran expressed respect for Macklemore’s conviction and courage to stand up and speak out for what he believes in.
Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Beoga Exit in Protest
The removal of Macklemore triggered a cascade of departures from the tour’s supporting lineup, with all opening acts listed for Sheeran’s upcoming tour dates announcing their departures. Finneas was among the first to announce his withdrawal, posting a short note on Instagram.
Finneas stated that artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed, announced his decision to withdraw from his upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran, and declared that he stands with Palestine and its people. Finneas
Finneas, the brother to Billie Eilish, previously joined his sister and fellow celebrities last year to promote a benefit concert to support relief efforts called Together for Palestine.
His statement came roughly an hour after one of Sheeran’s other openers, Irish singer Aaron Rowe, announced he was dropping out via Instagram.
Aaron Rowe expressed that Ed had been a friend to him and had changed his life, noting he could never thank him enough for it, but stated that as Irish people they know all too well about genocide, forced famine, and violent occupation, and affirmed he could not 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 who highlight the savage murder of children. Aaron Rowe
Danish pop band Lukas Graham also posted a statement of similar length on Instagram, confirming the group was departing the tour and apologizing to fans.
Lukas Graham stated that people should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, and about children who deserve to grow up no matter where they live or whatever flag flies over them, noting that he grew up in Christiania, a small community in Denmark where speaking one’s mind was part of everyday life, and emphasized that having more money did not make someone’s opinion worth more than anyone else’s, because money does not give anyone the right to own the conversation. Lukas Graham
Additionally, Sheeran’s house band, Beoga, said the Irish group was departing the tour. The band described itself as being friends with Sheeran for over 10 years who never imagined they would play in stadiums of that size and acknowledged that they deeply appreciated that opportunity. Beoga’s statement asserted that the real enemy is the Zionist lobby, accusing them of working tirelessly to silence artists who want to speak freely about a genocide happening before their eyes for fear of retribution, while criticizing Kraft and expressing support for Macklemore and his message. Beoga’s Instagram post was captioned Saoirse don Phailistín,
which translates from Irish to Freedom for Palestine.