Ed Sheeran’s US tour has seen a wave of support acts walk away after the rapper Macklemore was pulled from the line‑up for making pro‑Palestinian remarks on stage. Finneas, the brother of Billie Eilish, released a statement saying, “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.”
Irish singer‑songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham and folk group Beoga also announced their exit. The departures followed Sheeran’s own post on Instagram, where he clarified that the decision to drop Macklemore was made by promoters, not him, and that he would not be drawn into a public debate over Gaza.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, had called for a “free Palestine” and displayed images of Gaza’s devastation during concerts in New Jersey. The remarks sparked backlash from Jewish groups and led to venue pressure on the tour promoters to remove him. Sheeran said he had spoken with venues “at length all week to try and build a bridge,” but the promoters ultimately pulled the plug.
Sheeran’s statement also noted that Macklemore had been allowed to choose his own setlist and that he did not use his platform for politics because his audience includes young people who “do not expect a political forum.” He added that he would use his fame to be a place of safety and diplomacy.
In a separate Instagram post, Lukas Graham said, “We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up.” Rowe expressed that he did not take the decision to quit lightly, while Beoga said that playing in venues that silence advocacy for a free Palestine was “simply not an option for us.”
The controversy began on 4 September when Macklemore performed at Ed Sheeran’s concert at MetLife Stadium, where he spoke about “Free Palestine” and showed footage of Gaza on the big screen. The next night he addressed his “Jewish brothers and sisters” in the audience, a move that further inflamed tensions.
Following the backlash, Macklemore announced on Monday that he had been dropped from the line‑up. In a statement, he said the boycott had been organized by Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium, who accused the rapper of “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric.”
With the support acts now gone, Sheeran’s tour faces uncertainty. Fans and industry observers will watch to see how the tour proceeds without its original lineup and whether any new acts will be added.
