Ed Sheeran Tour in Turmoil as Support Acts Quit After Macklemore Exit - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ed Sheeran's US stadium tour has been thrown into turmoil after all of his remaining support acts and his own touring band announced their departures, days after rapper Macklemore was removed from the lineup following pro-Palestinian remarks at Sheeran's concerts.

The departures came shortly after Sheeran issued a statement distancing himself from the decision to remove Macklemore, saying the decision was made by the tour promoter and venues rather than by him.

“It’s important that I set out some facts,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram, adding that Macklemore's contract was with the promoter, not the singer.

The controversy began on September 4, when Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, performed at Sheeran's concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

During the show, Macklemore called for a “Free Palestine” and performed his song Hind's Hall, which is dedicated to pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University and criticizes Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Images depicting the devastation in Gaza were shown during the performance.

The remarks drew criticism from some Jewish groups and other critics. The Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from the tour, while StopAntisemitism accused the rapper of using the performance to promote what it described as propaganda. Pop star Pink later amplified the criticism.

Macklemore addressed the controversy at another performance the following night, telling Jewish members of the audience that criticism of Israel was not criticism of Jewish people.

After the controversy, Sheeran said venues on upcoming tour dates told promoters they would withdraw the shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup. Sheeran said he spent the week speaking with venues and others involved in an attempt to find a solution, but ultimately the decision to remove Macklemore was made by promoters and venue managers.

“I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated.

“Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist.

“As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.

“After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting. I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said. I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge. One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine. Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.

“I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.

“I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together and this won’t ever change. Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome.

“I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.

“There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change. There are different approaches to being an advocate for change.

“I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.

Hours after Sheeran's statement, his remaining support acts announced that they were leaving the tour.

Finneas, the American musician and brother of Billie Eilish, said he was withdrawing from his upcoming dates with Sheeran and expressed support for Palestinians.

Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe also announced his departure, saying he did not take the decision lightly because Sheeran had been a friend who had changed his life. Rowe said he could not continue while believing artists were being silenced over their views on the conflict.

Danish pop-rock band Lukas Graham, known for the hit 7 Years, also withdrew. The group said financial power should not determine who gets to speak or which suffering can be acknowledged.

The most significant departure came from Beoga, the Irish folk band that had performed with Sheeran on stage during the tour. The band said it had decided to leave the remaining US Loop tour dates, citing the removal of Macklemore.

Macklemore announced earlier that he had been dropped from the tour following the controversy surrounding his performances.

The rapper said billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, was involved in the effort to remove him. Kraft confirmed that his venue would not provide a platform for what he described as hate speech and cited what he characterized as Macklemore's broader history of antisemitic rhetoric.

Kraft also said he agreed that too many lives had been lost and that there had been too much suffering, while arguing that focusing selectively on the conflict and ignoring Hamas's actions contributed to division.

Tour promoter Messina Touring Group told Rolling Stone that venues had informed it they would not allow Macklemore to perform, saying this could result in the cancellation of the tour and affect hundreds of thousands of fans.

Macklemore said Sheeran had been placed in a difficult position and that the two had held difficult conversations during the week before his removal.

Macklemore's Hind's Hall performance became the center of the dispute after he displayed images of destruction in Gaza and called for a free Palestine.

At a subsequent concert, he told Jewish members of the audience that criticism of Israel, apartheid and genocide was not criticism of Jewish people. He said he wanted Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten.

Israel rejects allegations of genocide and says its military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank are conducted in self-defense and in accordance with international law.

The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry has reported more than 73,780 deaths during Israel's subsequent military campaign, with the BBC noting that the figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

Macklemore said that taking a position on the conflict could have consequences for an artist's career, including financial opportunities and relationships. He added that although he performed only two shows on Sheeran's tour, he considered the experience successful if it helped return attention to the situation in Palestine.

With the remaining support acts and Ed Sheeran's touring band now withdrawing, the future of the remaining US dates of the Loop tour remains uncertain.