Casablanca – Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour has lost all of its remaining supporting acts after Macklemore left the lineup following the rapper’s outspoken support for Palestine and criticism of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
FINNEAS, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Irish folk band Beoga all announced their departures on Tuesday, with each artist linking the decision to Macklemore’s removal and the wider issue of Palestinian suffering.
The dispute began during Macklemore’s performances at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium earlier this month. He told the crowd that he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten before calling for a “Free Palestine.” He also performed Hind’s Hall, his protest song inspired by demonstrations over Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Macklemore later confirmed that he had left the tour and said he did not consider himself the victim of the dispute. He pointed instead to Palestinians in Gaza, describing them as the people who had faced killing, starvation, displacement, and violence. He also said his removal gave him fewer opportunities to speak about Palestine but did not change his position.
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The rapper added that Sheeran told him that the words “Free Palestine” and the Palestinian flag had become a problem for people involved in the tour.
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Macklemore said he told Sheeran that if those words were considered more offensive than the killing of Palestinian children, then there was a fundamental disconnect between their positions. He also said Sheeran “couldn’t get past his public-facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’”
Sheeran’s ‘apolitical’ stance faces scrutiny
Sheeran has repeatedly described his approach as apolitical. In his response to the controversy, he said he does not use his professional platform for politics because audiences come to his concerts for music rather than a political forum. He said he has personal views about the conflict and that choosing not to discuss them publicly does not mean he does not care. “I am not complicit,” Sheeran wrote.
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That explanation has faced renewed scrutiny because Sheeran has publicly taken a very different approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In 2022, he headlined the Concert for Ukraine fundraiser and told Ukrainian band Antytila, “I love you, I stand with you.” He later collaborated with the band on a Ukrainian-language version of 2step and said he would donate royalties from the video to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
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The contrast has prompted questions online about whether Sheeran’s reluctance to take a public position applies to conflicts generally or specifically to the Israel-Palestine issue. Sheeran publicly expressed solidarity with Ukraine while he now says he prefers to keep his views on Israel and Palestine private.
The controversy also drew criticism from P!nk, who amplified a “StopAntisemitism” post attacking Macklemore’s remarks. She also faced backlash after she said Macklemore’s performance “scared” her and people she loves as a Jewish mother.
Critics quickly called her out, questioning how a performance centered on calls to “Free Palestine” and an end to the suffering in Gaza could be framed as frightening when the message actually called for peace and Palestinian freedom.
Artist exodus follows Palestine stand
FINNEAS announced that he would leave the tour despite plans to perform on six South American dates in November. He said artists should not remain silent when they speak about oppressed people and added that he stands with Palestine and its people.
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Aaron Rowe also withdrew from the tour. The Irish singer had scheduled appearances across the remaining North American dates. In his statement, Rowe referred to Ireland’s history of genocide, forced famine, and occupation. He said he could not continue while people faced efforts to silence their voices over Palestinian suffering.
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Beoga, the Irish folk band that also performed with Sheeran during his shows, followed Rowe. The group said it opposed the silencing of Macklemore and expressed support for dialogue around the plight of the Palestinian people. Beoga also described itself as part of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement.
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Lukas Graham also left the tour. The Danish band said artists should have the freedom to speak about war, civilian deaths, and children affected by conflict. The group also said money should not determine who gets to speak or which suffering people can acknowledge.
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Sheeran has maintained that Macklemore’s removal was the promoter’s decision, not his. The tour promoter, Messina Touring Group, said venues threatened to cancel upcoming shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup. Sheeran said he spent the week trying to find a solution but ultimately could not change the decision.
The withdrawals affect Sheeran’s remaining North American dates, while FINNEAS also left his scheduled South American appearances.
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