All the remaining support acts on Ed Sheeran’s US tour have withdrawn following Macklemore’s removal from the lineup due to onstage pro-Palestinian remarks.
Included among those quitting is Finneas, who remarked that artists should not be silenced when they advocate for the oppressed.
Irish singer‑songwriter Aaron Rowe and the Danish duo Lukas Graham had already announced their exit, and Beoga, an Irish folk band that performs with Sheeran on stage every night, also pulled out.
The announcements followed hours after Sheeran said he would not be dragged into a public Gaza debate, and stressed that he was not responsible for Macklemore’s removal from the tour.
‘Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision; it was not mine,’ Sheeran wrote on Instagram.
‘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.’
Earlier this month, Macklemore called for a ‘free Palestine’ and showed images of Gaza’s devastation during two concerts in New Jersey. His remarks drew criticism from Jewish groups.
In his statement, Sheeran insisted he was ‘appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine’ but attempted to keep political issues at arm’s length.
‘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.’
He continued, ‘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.’
