British singer Ed Sheeran lost a string of supporting acts on Tuesday, September 15, after several artists quit his Loop Tour in protest at the decision to drop rapper Macklemore following pro-Palestinian comments he made on stage.
Macklemore, who had been opening for Sheeran, shouted "Free Palestine" and told Palestinians they were not forgotten during two concerts in early September at MetLife Stadium near New York.
Singer Finneas, the brother of Billie Eilish, Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga, and Danish band Lukas Graham each announced separately that they were cancelling their appearances on the tour.
Sheeran's explanation fails to hold artists
The walkouts came just hours after Sheeran tried to defuse the row on social media, saying the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour had come from the promoter. He said he did not want to let down the touring crew, the other opening acts and the musicians who depend on him for work.
The explanation did not satisfy the artists who ultimately dropped out. Finneas wrote on Instagram that artists should not be silenced when they speak up to defend the oppressed, adding that he stood in solidarity with Palestine and its people.
Beoga, the Irish group that had been booked to accompany Sheeran on stage during the tour, said it was leaving over what it called the muzzling of Macklemore by Zionist lobbies. The band said that as Irish people, they understood colonialism, pointing to Ireland's own history as a longtime supporter of the Palestinian cause.
Irish singer Aaron Rowe also invoked his country's past to explain his withdrawal, saying that as Irish people, they knew all too well about genocide, engineered famine and violent occupation.
Danish band accuses stadium owners of pressure
Lukas Graham went further, accusing several stadium owners of pressuring the tour by threatening to cancel Sheeran's concerts if Macklemore kept performing as the opening act. The band said money did not give anyone the right to monopolize the debate, adding that it should not be anyone's bank balance that decides who has the right to speak or what suffering people are allowed to acknowledge.
By Tuesday evening, the dispute had spread beyond the music industry. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and the campaign group Humanti Project also criticized Sheeran, writing in an Instagram post that there is only one victim here, the Palestinian people.
Macklemore's history of pro-Palestinian activism
Macklemore has repeatedly described Israel's military offensive in Gaza, launched in response to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, as a genocide. In 2024 he released the song "Hind's Hall," a tribute to Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl whose death prompted international outrage.
The rapper has also faced criticism from detractors who accuse him of feeding antisemitic stereotypes. In 2014 he wore a costume with an exaggerated nose and beard during a performance, an incident for which he later apologized publicly. Critics have also pointed to the video for his 2025 song "Fucked Up," which features a puzzle combining a 100-dollar bill with an Israeli flag.
Sheeran defends staying silent on Gaza
On Tuesday, Sheeran said he respected the strength of Macklemore's convictions while defending his own decision not to speak publicly about political issues, including the war in Gaza. He said he was not complicit and that he held personal opinions about the devastating conflict, adding that choosing not to voice them publicly did not mean he lacked them or felt unconcerned.
He said people who come to his shows do not expect to take part in a political forum. The comments did not appear to satisfy the artists who had already announced their exit from the tour.
