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Every supporting act scheduled to perform on English pop star Ed Sheeran’s upcoming North American stadium tour has withdrawn from the lineup in a unified show of solidarity with rapper Macklemore. The collective departure follows the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour roster after he made public statements in support of Palestine during a recent concert.
The sudden string of cancellations comes at a critical juncture for Sheeran’s US Loop Tour, which is scheduled to launch on Saturday, September 19, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Instead of a smooth rollout for the high-profile stadium dates, the tour has been engulfed by controversy over political speech and venue censorship.
The dispute originated earlier this month during a concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Macklemore, whose legal name is Ben Haggerty, served as the opening act for Sheeran. While addressing the audience from the stage, the American rapper delivered an impassioned speech advocating for Palestinian freedom and calling attention to regional conflicts.
During his onstage remarks, Macklemore declared that people from Gaza to the occupied West Bank have not been forgotten, adding calls to free Palestine, Lebanon, Cuba, the Congo, Sudan, and Iran. The rapper also performed his track titled "Hind’s Hall," a song written in tribute to Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces while trapped in a vehicle in Gaza. The title additionally references Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall, which student demonstrators occupied and renamed during campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza in 2024.
Macklemore's performance generated an immediate and intense backlash from pro-Israel groups, including the Israeli-American Council, which launched a petition demanding that he be removed from Sheeran's tour. Following the uproar, the hip-hop artist was officially cut from all remaining tour dates.
The decision to exclude Macklemore reportedly involved significant pressure from influential venue operators, most notably billionaire Robert Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Macklemore later disclosed on social media that Sheeran personally informed him that Kraft had barred him from performing at the Foxborough venue and had actively reached out to other stadium owners to do the same.
Addressing the controversy on Tuesday, Sheeran attributed the decision to drop Macklemore to the tour’s American promoter. The British singer stated that venue concerns centered on the specific manner in which Macklemore delivered part of his message rather than the entirety of what was said, adding that he had spent the week engaging in discussions with venue officials in an unsuccessful effort to find common ground.
In the wake of Macklemore's removal, four different musical acts—American singer-songwriter Finneas, Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Irish folk group Beoga, and Danish pop band Lukas Graham—released statements announcing their refusal to participate in the tour.
Finneas, an American recording artist who was booked to open select US dates, announced his exit via Instagram. The songwriter, who along with his sister Billie Eilish has previously highlighted their Irish ancestry and spoken out in defense of Palestinian rights, emphasized that creative figures must not face retaliation for addressing injustice. He insisted that performers should never be silenced when advocating for oppressed populations, reaffirming his steadfast support for the people of Palestine.
Irish vocalist Aaron Rowe, who had already performed alongside Sheeran during the Australian leg of the tour earlier this year and was slated for ten upcoming US dates, also confirmed his immediate withdrawal. While expressing deep personal gratitude to Sheeran for supporting his musical career, Rowe noted that he could not compromise his core values.
Rowe explicitly connected his decision to Ireland’s own historical hardships under foreign rule, citing the generational memory of forced famine, violent occupation, and genocide. He stated that he could not quietly stand by while wealthy figures use their financial clout to suppress voices speaking against the killing of children and the ongoing actions of the Israeli military.
Beoga, a traditional Irish band that functions as Sheeran’s backing group and has maintained a collaborative friendship with the pop star for over a decade, joined the walkout as well. Despite the rare opportunity to perform before massive stadium crowds, the band confirmed on Tuesday that it would not participate in the US tour.
In their social media statement, the members of Beoga attributed Macklemore’s removal to pressure from Zionist lobbying groups. The band highlighted their shared heritage and belief in dialogue to advance the rights of the Palestinian people, maintaining that their long-standing personal relationship with Sheeran would endure despite their decision to step down from the tour.
Danish pop group Lukas Graham, fronted by lead singer Lukas Forchhammer, also announced their departure on Tuesday. Forchhammer emphasized the shared human obligation to speak out about the loss of civilian lives and the protection of children caught in armed conflict, regardless of their nationality or background.
The Danish frontman further criticized the influence of wealth in dictating public discourse, asserting that personal fortunes and high bank balances should not give venue owners or promoters the authority to determine who is allowed to speak or which humanitarian crises can be publicly acknowledged.
The unified departure of Sheeran’s entire supporting lineup underscores the deepening divide across the live entertainment industry regarding political speech, as artists increasingly push back against venue policies and corporate pressure related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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