All support acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour quit after Macklemore dropped

15 September 2026, 17: 01 BST. Updated 33 minutes ago.

Key points

• When Macklemore performed at Ed Sheeran's concert at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the controversy began on 4 September.
• Earlier this month, Macklemore – real name Benjamin Haggerty – pressed a "free Palestine" and demonstrated images of devastation in Gaza during two concerts in New Jersey.
• Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe and Danish band Lukas Graham additionally unveiled their departure.
• In an official note on Instagram, he remarked the boycott had been organised by Robert Kraft – the billionaire owner of the Gilette Stadium in Massachusetts.
• Writing on Instagram, Lukas Graham remarked: We should be able to speak concerning war, regarding civilians being killed, concerning children who deserve to grow up.

After the rapper Macklemore was dropped from the line-up for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage, all of the remaining backing acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour have quit.

Among them were Finneas, the brother of pop star Billie Eilish. This person remarked in an official note: "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed."

Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe and Danish band Lukas Graham additionally unveiled their departure. Irish folk band Beoga, who perform with Sheeran on stage every night, dropped out too.

In practice, the announcements came hours after Sheeran remarked he would not be drawn into a public debate over Gaza, and stressed he was not responsible for Macklemore being removed from the tour.

"Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine, " Sheeran remarked 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."

After which some venues put pressure on the tour promoters to drop him from the tour, his comments drew criticism from Jewish groups.

In his statement, external, Sheeran remarked he had spoken with the venues "at length all week to try and build a bridge" – but the promoters, Messina Touring Group, had ultimately pulled the plug.

While the star remarked he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine" and that the "suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy", he additionally attempted to explain his decision to keep political problems at arm's length.

I am not complicit, he wrote. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just since I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn't mean I don't have them, and it doesn't mean I don't care.

"Nor does it mean I don't support causes in my own, personal way."

He continued: There is a reason I do not employ my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young residents, often children, of all backgrounds.

Those who come to my demonstrates do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore's strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes.

Nevertheless, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: Peace.

"I choose to employ 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 continued that, "as with all my support acts", Macklemore had been allowed to choose his own setlist.

If the statement was meant to placate his fans and other artists on the line-up, it has seemingly had the opposite effect.

Writing on Instagram, Lukas Graham remarked: "We should be able to speak concerning war, regarding civilians being killed, concerning children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them."

Rowe, who opened on the Australian leg of the tour earlier this year and resumed as a backing act for the US in June, stated that he did not "take the decision lightly, " adding: "Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this."

He informed the audience: "A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so that I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very, very dear to my heart: Free Palestine."

He then performed his song Hind's Hall. It is dedicated to pro-Palestinian protestors at Columbia University and condemns Israel's military action in Gaza, while video footage of the devastation in Gaza was shown on the major screen.

Some of the audience cheered – but there was almost immediate criticism online.

Notably, the Israeli American Council introduced a petition demanding his removal from the tour; while the campaign group StopAntisemitism stated the musician had ambushed fans with propaganda – a claim that was amplified by the pop star Pink. This person reposted it on Instagram.

Notably, the next night, Macklemore returned to the same stage and directly addressed his "Jewish brothers and sisters" in the audience.

"Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, is in no way a criticism of you, " he remarked, adding that he wanted residents in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten.

Israel rejects allegations of genocide. It notes its troops conduct self-defence operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in accordance with international law.

Notably, the Israeli military introduced a campaign in Gaza in response to an unprecedented Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which concerning 1, 200 individuals were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

During Israel's military campaign in Gaza more than 73, 780 individuals have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN.

After days of press coverage, Macklemore confirmed on Monday that he had been dropped from the line-up.

Kraft – who once hired Ed Sheeran to play at his wedding – confirmed he'd created the decision to bar Macklemore, saying his venue would not "provide a platform for hate speech, " accusing the rapper of "a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric".

"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, " Kraft remarked.

Nevertheless, he did not address the claim that he'd asked other venues to put pressure on the tour.

Tour promoter, Messina Touring Group, informed Rolling Stone magazine that it had been informed by venues that they would not allow Macklemore to perform, "which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans."

Plenty of of the acts who withdrew on Tuesday night stated Kraft's involvement had influenced their decision.

"Money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation, " remarked Lukas Graham.

"Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge."

For now, all support acts on Ed Sheeran' s US tour quit after Macklemore dropped remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.