Ed Sheeran addressed Macklemore’s removal from his U.S. tour Tuesday, saying the rapper’s departure was ultimately a decision made by the concert promoter and venues — not by him.
The “Shape of You” singer said he was “appalled” by the conflict between Israel and Palestine and described the suffering on both sides as “a human tragedy,” according to a lengthy statement shared on Instagram after Macklemore accused Sheeran and tour organizers of sidelining him over his pro-Palestinian remarks.
Following Sheeran’s note, four supporting acts withdrew from the Loop Tour in solidarity with Macklemore, including Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Lukas Graham, and Finneas.
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“Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist,” Sheeran wrote. “As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.”
On Monday, Macklemore had claimed that Sheeran told him Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, had rallied other stadium owners to oppose allowing the rapper to perform. According to his account, the venues allegedly gave Sheeran an ultimatum: “if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”
Sheeran’s statement offered a different account of the events, saying that after Macklemore’s performances at his New Jersey shows, venues scheduled for upcoming tour dates told organizers they would pull the shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup.
“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,” Sheeran wrote. “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.”
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“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” Sheeran added. “Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.”
Macklemore was scheduled to perform at eight of the remaining U.S. dates on Sheeran’s “Loop Tour.”
Sheeran said he has deliberately avoided using his professional platform for politics because his audience includes young people and children from diverse backgrounds. Sheeran said concertgoers attend his shows expecting “a place of safety and sanctuary” rather than a political forum.
“There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds,” he wrote. “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.”
Sheeran also rejected the suggestion that his decision not to speak publicly about his personal beliefs made him indifferent to the conflict.
“I am not complicit,” he wrote. “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.”
The singer said he spent the week attempting to preserve the tour while balancing the concerns of venues, promoters, fans, crew members and support acts.
“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,” Sheeran wrote.
He concluded by saying he had tried to find a solution but was ultimately unable to do so.
“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.”
The message was heard by many, including Billie Eilish’s brother, Finneas, who was slated to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year.
“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” he wrote. “I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.”
Aaron Rowe wrote that the decision wasn’t made “lightly” in a similar statement on social media as he withdrew from the tour.
“Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this,” Rowe said. “But as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.”
“I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children. I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.”
Rowe noted that he needed to “be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonization, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland.”
“We are a traditional Irish band who never saw ourselves playing in stadiums of that size and that opportunity is not los on us,” Beoga wrote on social media. “We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people.”
Lukas Graham wrote that he was grateful for his friendship with Sheeran, but couldn’t “carry on with tour as things stand,” before withdrawing.
“I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision, but it’s one I need to stand by,” Graham added.
A week after Macklemore repeatedly called to “Free Palestine” and performed his anti-Israel song “Hind’s Hall” while opening for Sheeran, the rapper was dropped from the remaining U.S. dates he was scheduled to perform on the “Shape of You” singer’s tour.
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“As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” Messina Touring Group, the promoter of the U.S. leg of Sheeran’s “Loop Tour,” said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”
On Monday, Macklemore addressed the announcement and doubled down on his stance.
“I’m not sure how to start this. So I’m going to speak from the heart and share the truth,” he wrote in a lengthy Instagram statement. “Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour. But before I get into it, I want to say something that should be obvious. In this moment I think it matters. I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families.”
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“The victims are the Palestinian people. The men, women and children who have been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence. More than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza alone. People are being killed today, and people will be killed tomorrow. I want to make sure that as I tell this story, we don’t lose sight of that.”
The rapper claimed Kraft told Sheeran that Macklemore “would not be allowed” to perform at the stadium.
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Kraft issued a statement defending his decision to influence the rapper’s removal from the tour.
“Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech,” the statement read. “Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line.”
The statement continued, “This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real. But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas, a United States and globally (including Canada, European Union, United Kingdom, and Japan) designated terrorist organization whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike. I agree with Macklemore. Too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate. Over many decades, I have directed resources to Palestine and created athletic and entrepreneurial opportunities for Palestinians who I admire and respect. Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive.”
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“Much of my time and attention for the last decade has been focused on the fight against antisemitism and hate of all kinds, and I feel a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed. I have tremendous respect for Ed and his music, particularly his unique ability to bring people together and spread joy, and I have always been proud to welcome him and his fans to Gillette Stadium.
“I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts, because ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate.”
While Macklemore said he hopes his relationship with Sheeran won’t crumble over this, he stands by his position.
“I didn’t need 10 shows from Ed. I needed 2. Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say the words that somehow became too dangerous to say. Free Palestine. But if those words cost me the stage, while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I’ve ever been on.”
