NEW YORK — Ed Sheeran’s North and South American tour has been thrown into turmoil after four supporting acts withdrew from the lineup in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was removed from the tour following his outspoken pro-Palestinian comments.
The withdrawals came Tuesday, September 15, just hours after Sheeran publicly addressed the controversy and said Macklemore’s removal was not his decision.
The artists who have withdrawn are Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Irish band Beoga. Their departures affect different portions of Sheeran’s remaining Loop Tour dates.
Macklemore removed after New Jersey performances
Macklemore had been scheduled to support Sheeran on several U.S. stadium dates.
The rapper attracted controversy after performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he voiced support for Palestinians and said “Free Palestine” while performing his protest song “Hind’s Hall.”
Following those appearances, multiple venues reportedly told Sheeran’s promoter, Messina Touring Group, that they would not allow Macklemore to perform at their stadiums.
Messina subsequently confirmed that Macklemore was removed after discussions with stakeholders and venue operators.
Macklemore has said the decision was connected to pressure from venue owners, including Robert Kraft, whose organization owns Gillette Stadium. Kraft confirmed that Macklemore’s participation at the venue had been rejected, citing what he described as concerns over the rapper’s recent comments and a broader history of rhetoric and imagery that he said had offended members of the Jewish community.
Sheeran says the decision wasn’t his
Sheeran addressed the controversy publicly on Tuesday, distancing himself from the decision.
The British singer said the choice to remove Macklemore was made by the promoter and venues, saying he had spent the week speaking with the parties involved in an attempt to find a resolution.
Sheeran said he respects Macklemore’s convictions but prefers to keep political debate outside his concerts, describing his shows as spaces intended to bring people together.
He also said he did not want fans, crew members and other musicians who depend on the tour for their livelihoods to be affected by the dispute.
Supporting acts walk away
The controversy escalated when the remaining supporting performers announced that they would no longer participate.
Finneas, who is also known for his work with his sister Billie Eilish, said artists should not be silenced for speaking about oppression and announced his withdrawal from upcoming dates.
Lukas Graham also pulled out, saying artists should be able to discuss war and civilian suffering.
Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe and Irish folk group Beoga likewise withdrew, with both referencing Ireland’s historical experiences in explaining their decisions.
The withdrawals effectively removed all of the previously scheduled supporting acts from the affected portion of Sheeran’s tour.
A debate over music, politics and free expression
The dispute has developed into a wider debate about how much political expression artists should be allowed to bring onto major commercial concert stages.
Macklemore has argued that supporting Palestinian rights should not be treated as antisemitic and has continued to defend his decision to speak about Gaza during his performances.
Kraft, meanwhile, has said his objection was based not simply on advocacy for Palestinians but also on what he characterized as antisemitic rhetoric and imagery. Those competing claims have become central to the controversy.
Sheeran has attempted to keep himself separate from that political dispute, saying that he respects different approaches while choosing not to use his own concert platform for political campaigning.
What happens to Sheeran’s tour now?
The Loop Tour still has scheduled North and South American dates, but the mass withdrawal of supporting performers has created uncertainty over the supporting lineup for upcoming shows.
The immediate controversy is therefore no longer only about Macklemore.
It has become a much broader dispute involving artists, promoters, stadium operators, political expression and the limits of free speech in commercial entertainment.
For Sheeran, the challenge now is keeping the tour moving while maintaining the position he has publicly stated: that his concerts should remain spaces for audiences from different backgrounds rather than political forums.
What began with one rapper’s decision to speak from the stage has now become a major test of where the music industry draws the line between artistic expression, venue control and political speech.
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