Ed Sheeran Blames Promoters for Dropping Macklemore From US Tour
Pop star Ed Sheeran stated that concert promoters and venue owners made the final decision to remove pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore from the US leg of his Loop Tour following backlash over remarks made in New Jersey earlier this month. Several supporting acts and musical groups subsequently abandoned the tour in solidarity with the rapper.
Artists and Support Acts Abandon Remaining Stadium Dates
Macklemore, a Grammy-winning artist scheduled to perform at eight of the ten remaining shows on the tour, was dropped after stadium operators refused to host a lineup featuring him. Sheeran addressed the controversy via X, explaining that he spent a week speaking with venues, promoters, and activists to find a mutual resolution before the final decision was issued.
In response to the removal, several opening acts, including musician Finneas, Danish band Lukas Graham, and singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, alongside Sheeran’s backing band Beoga, pulled out of the tour. Finneas stated that artists must not be silenced when speaking up for the oppressed, while Rowe and Beoga cited Ireland’s history under colonisation in their departure announcements.
The backlash follows public division over the Gaza conflict. Pro-Israeli groups and American singer Pink criticized Macklemore’s remarks, arguing they compromised event safety and objecting to the use of the word “Zionist.” Conversely, Beoga accused Zionist lobbies of silencing the rapper. Critics also referenced a 2014 incident where Macklemore wore a costume featuring a black wig and fake hooked nose, for which he later apologised.
Sheeran maintained that while he holds personal views on the conflict, he intended his stadium shows to remain spaces of unity, escapism, and love free of politics. The tour is scheduled to resume on September 19, 2026, in Philadelphia.
