All remaining support acts on Ed Sheeran’s US tour have withdrawn from the lineup after rapper Macklemore was removed following pro Palestinian comments made during his performances.
Among those leaving is Finneas, the brother of singer Billie Eilish, who said artists should not be silenced for speaking out about people they believe are being oppressed. Irish singer songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish folk group Beoga also announced their departures.
The withdrawals came shortly after Sheeran said he would not enter a public political debate over the war in Gaza and stressed that Macklemore’s removal was a decision made by the tour promoter, not by him.
Sheeran said he had spoken with venues during the week in an effort to resolve the dispute, but promoter Messina Touring Group ultimately removed Macklemore from the tour. He said he did not want to disappoint fans or abandon touring staff and musicians who depend on the shows for their livelihoods.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, called for a free Palestine during concerts at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on September 4 and 5. He also performed his song Hind’s Hall while images showing destruction in Gaza were displayed on a large screen.
His comments drew criticism from some Jewish groups and campaigners, while other artists defended his right to speak about the conflict. Macklemore later addressed Jewish members of the audience, saying criticism of Israel should not be interpreted as criticism of Jewish people.
Macklemore announced on Monday that he had been removed from the tour. Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, confirmed that he had opposed allowing the rapper to perform at the venue, saying it would not provide a platform for what he described as hate speech.
Messina Touring Group said venues had informed it that they would not allow Macklemore to perform, creating a risk that the wider tour could be cancelled and affect hundreds of thousands of fans.
Lukas Graham said the decision to withdraw was influenced by concerns over who gets to speak about the conflict, while Beoga said it could not perform at venues where artists advocating for a free Palestine were being silenced.
Sheeran has said he is opposed to the suffering caused by the Israel Palestine conflict but prefers not to use his professional platform for political campaigning. He said his concerts should remain spaces where people of different backgrounds can attend without expecting a political forum.
Sheeran is due to perform next at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday. The tour website had not yet been updated to reflect the departures, with Rowe and Lukas Graham still listed as special guests.
Leave a comment