Macklemore out, everyone out: Ed Sheeran’s US tour loses all support acts

Ed Sheeran’s US tour has lost all of its remaining support acts following the removal of rapper Macklemore from the lineup over his public support of Palestine.

Finneas, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish group Lukas Graham and Irish folk band Beoga have all announced that they will no longer take part in the tour.

The withdrawals came after Sheeran said Macklemore’s departure was a decision made by the tour promoter rather than by him. Sheeran said he had tried to resolve the dispute with venues but ultimately chose not to cancel his own performances.

Sheeran distances himself from decision

In a statement posted on Instagram, Sheeran said he had spent much of the week speaking with venues in an effort to find a compromise.

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” he said.

The singer said he did not want to disappoint fans who had made arrangements to attend the shows or leave members of his touring operation and other performers without work.

Sheeran also said he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine” and described the suffering on both sides as a human tragedy. However, he said he had deliberately avoided using his professional platform to take public political positions.

Sheeran said his concerts attract audiences from different backgrounds, including children, and that he wanted his shows to remain spaces where people could feel safe and where dialogue remained possible.

He said Macklemore had been free to select his own material as one of his support acts.

Artists cite freedom to speak

The other performers departing the tour have taken a different position.

Finneas, who is the brother of singer Billie Eilish, said artists should not be prevented from speaking about the suffering of others.

Lukas Graham said musicians should be able to address issues including war and the deaths of civilians and children, regardless of where those people live or which side they belong to.

Rowe explained that leaving had been a difficult decision because of his longstanding friendship with Sheeran and the opportunities the singer had given him.

Beoga, which performs with Sheeran during his concerts, said it could not continue appearing at venues where performers advocating for Palestinians were being silenced.

Macklemore’s Gaza comments

The dispute began after Macklemore used his appearances on the tour to make pro-Palestinian statements.

During a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sept. 4, the rapper told the crowd that supporting Palestinian freedom was an important reason he had agreed to perform on the tour.

He then performed “Hind’s Hall”, a track addressing pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University and criticising Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Images showing destruction in Gaza were displayed during the performance.

The appearance drew both support and criticism. The Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from the tour, while advocacy group StopAntisemitism accused him of using the concert to promote what it described as propaganda. Pop star Pink subsequently shared the criticism online.

Macklemore returned to the stage the following night and addressed Jewish members of the audience, arguing that criticism of the Israeli government and opposition to alleged violations in Gaza should not be interpreted as hostility toward Jewish people.

Israel rejects allegations that its actions in Gaza amount to genocide, saying its military campaign is aimed at Hamas and is conducted in self-defence and in accordance with international law.

The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says more than 73,780 people have since been killed in Israel’s military campaign. The United Nations has considered the ministry’s casualty figures broadly reliable.

Venues put pressure on tour

Macklemore said on Monday that he had been removed from the tour following pressure from venues.

Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, confirmed that his venue had decided not to host the rapper. Kraft said the stadium would not provide a platform for what he called hate speech and accused Macklemore of a wider history of antisemitic rhetoric.

Kraft said he agreed that the loss of civilian life in the conflict was unacceptable but argued that focusing on selected aspects of the conflict while ignoring Hamas’ actions could increase division.

The tour promoter, Messina Touring Group, told Rolling Stone that several venues had indicated they would not permit Macklemore to perform. The promoter said this created the possibility that the wider tour could be cancelled, affecting hundreds of thousands of ticket holders.

The departing support acts said Kraft’s involvement was among the factors behind their decisions.

Lukas Graham criticised the influence of wealth over public debate, saying financial power should not determine which voices are heard.

Macklemore defends decision

Macklemore said he understood the difficult position Sheeran had been placed in but criticised the singer for remaining publicly neutral.

He argued that speaking out could have significant professional consequences, including the loss of commercial opportunities and relationships.

Macklemore performed only two shows on the tour before being removed. He said, however, that if his appearances had succeeded in putting the situation in Palestine back into the public conversation, he regarded the experience as worthwhile.