The artists and bands scheduled to perform on the remaining dates of British singer Ed Sheeran’s tour have withdrawn in solidarity with US rapper Macklemore, who was dropped after declaring his support for Palestine during a concert in New Jersey on September 4, 2026.
Artists withdraw in solidarity with Macklemore
US singer and producer Finneas, Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish band Biyoga announced on their social media accounts that they would not continue their participation in The Loop tour. Rowe and Lukas Graham had been due to open the remaining US concerts, while Finneas was preparing to appear at six shows during the South American leg scheduled for November.
Biyoga had been accompanying Sheeran musically and performing several songs with him. Finneas said artists should not be silenced when defending the oppressed, declaring his support for Palestine and its people. Rowe described withdrawing as difficult given his friendship with Sheeran and Sheeran’s impact on his career, but said he could not continue the tour amid what he regarded as the use of wealth and influence to silence discussion of Palestinian suffering.
Biyoga, whose artistic and personal relationship with Sheeran spans more than ten years, said it was withdrawing to protest Macklemore’s silencing and to stand by its defence of justice and Palestinian rights. Lukas Graham said wealth did not give its owners the right to control public debate or determine which suffering could be discussed.
‘Free Palestine’ chant sparks dispute
The dispute began when Macklemore joined the opening of a Sheeran concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, chanted “Free Palestine” and spoke of his solidarity with residents of the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, before performing his protest song “Hind’s Hall”. His remarks drew objections from the American Israel Public Affairs Council and several owners of stadiums hosting the remaining concerts.
Macklemore later said Sheeran had told him that Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, had refused to allow him to appear at concerts scheduled at the stadium. According to Macklemore’s account, Kraft rallied several other stadium owners, giving tour organisers a choice between dropping him and cancelling Sheeran’s concerts at their venues.
Sheeran denies responsibility for Macklemore’s removal
The rapper had been due to perform at eight of the 10 remaining concerts on the US leg of the tour. Sheeran said dropping Macklemore was a decision by the tour organisers and stadium owners, not a personal decision by him, and that his attempts to reach a solution had not changed their final position.
He added that he respected Macklemore’s defence of what he believed in, but preferred not to use his artistic platform for political debates and wanted his concerts to be a space that gave audiences safety, joy and an escape from reality. Kraft defended refusing to allow Macklemore to perform at Gillette Stadium, attributing the decision to previous remarks and images he described as offensive to the Jewish community. He said his position was not intended to deny Palestinian suffering or prevent people from speaking out for Palestinians.
Macklemore, meanwhile, rejected equating criticism of the Israeli government or calls for a free Palestine with antisemitism, stressing that defending Palestinian rights did not constitute hatred of Jews. Macklemore announced that he would allocate his net earnings from the tour, amounting to one million dollars, to six organisations providing aid to Palestinians, and called on Kraft to make a matching donation.
Sheeran’s tour, which began in New Zealand and Australia in January, continues after its North American leg started in June and is scheduled to run until November 7.
