Ed Sheeran tour faces fallout after artist departures

Ed Sheeran’s North and South American Loop Tour has been thrown into turmoil as he is facing growing backlash after dropping Macklemore from the lineup this week for supporting Palestine.

His other supporting acts have also quit in solidarity.

Supporting acts Aaron Rowe, Beoga, Lukas Graham, and Finneas announced their departures Tuesday, shortly after Sheeran said promoters decided to drop Macklemore.

Yesterday, Massive Attack sharply criticized Sheeran’s response, arguing that artists should not accept the silencing of fellow performers. The British band said money and commercial interests should not prevent musicians from speaking about the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

The controversy began after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian remarks during a September 5 performance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, including a ‘Free Palestine’ call while introducing his protest song ‘Hind’s Hall.’

Macklemore later said venues had pressured promoters to remove him. According to him, Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium, rallied other venue owners and informed Sheeran they wouldn’t host him if Macklemore remained part of the tour.

Kraft didn’t deny the claim, but he characterized the rapper’s past rhetoric as “antisemitic.”

Sheeran said the promoter made the decision and that venue owners ultimately refused to change course. He said he wants his concerts to remain welcoming spaces and prefers not to turn his shows into political forums.

The tour is scheduled to resume Saturday in Philadelphia, now without its planned supporting acts.