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Pop star Ed Sheeran said on Tuesday dropping American rapper Macklemore from his US concert tour was not Sheeran's decision but that of the tour's promoter, even as Sheeran distinguished his political approach from Macklemore's.
Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran's US tour after his pro-Palestinian comments and "Free Palestine" remarks during a September 4 concert in New Jersey.
Sheeran's opening acts, including musician Finneas, Danish band Lukas Graham and singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe said on Tuesday they were quitting his tour. Sheeran's touring band, Beoga, a traditional Irish band, also said they decided to leave. They voiced support for Macklemore and expressed solidarity with Palestinians.
"Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine," Sheeran said on Instagram.
Sheeran said he respected Macklemore's "strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes" but that Sheeran's approach was to not use his "professional platform for politics."
Messina Touring Group, promoter of the US leg of Sheeran's Loop Tour, told Rolling Stone that venue owners on the upcoming US tour dates notified the promoters they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore in the lineup.
Macklemore has long been pro-Palestinian and a critic of Israel's assault on Gaza and its occupation of the West Bank.
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In 2024, Macklemore released "Hind's Hall", a protest anthem in solidarity with pro-Palestinian demonstrators and in memory of 5-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was killed by Israeli troops in Gaza. Israel's military said last month it had opened a criminal investigation into her killing, though rights groups say such probes rarely lead to convictions.
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"A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: 'Free Palestine';" Macklemore said earlier this month.
"I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them," Macklemore had said during the concert.
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Macklemore, a Grammy-winning artist, was on the bill to perform at eight of the 10 shows Sheeran has left on his stadium tour, which will resume on September 19 in Philadelphia, according to Variety.
The Israeli-American Council started a petition urging Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the tour.
Macklemore said on Instagram New England Patriots owner and billionaire Robert Kraft rallied support among some stadium owners and told Sheeran they will not allow him to perform at their venues if Macklemore stayed on the tour.
In a statement to US media, Kraft said much of his time was dedicated to fighting hate and anti-Semitism and he felt "a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed".
Macklemore denies being anti-Semitic and said that conflating anti-Semitism with criticism of Israel's actions aims to avoid Israeli accountability.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)