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A concert tour is supposed to build momentum night after night, gathering energy like a rolling snowball. Instead, Ed Sheeran's US tour has been losing pieces of itself in rapid succession, as every remaining support act has now quit following the removal of rapper Macklemore from the lineup over his pro-Palestinian remarks on stage.

A High-Profile Departure Leads the Way

Among those walking away is Finneas, brother of pop star Billie Eilish, who stated plainly: "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed." Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe and Danish band Lukas Graham also announced their exits, while Irish folk band Beoga — who had performed alongside Sheeran on stage every single night — dropped out as well, leaving the tour's supporting cast almost entirely emptied out.

Sheeran Tries to Draw a Line

The wave of departures came just hours after Sheeran said he would not be drawn into a public debate over Gaza, insisting he bore no responsibility for Macklemore's removal from the tour. "Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine," Sheeran wrote on Instagram.

Balancing Fans, Crew and Controversy

"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," Sheeran added. He's set to next perform at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, though his Loop tour website hasn't been updated — still listing Graham and Rowe as special guests despite their announced departures.

How the Controversy Ignited

Earlier this month, Macklemore — whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty — called for a "free Palestine" and displayed images of devastation in Gaza during two concerts in New Jersey. The remarks drew sharp criticism from Jewish groups, after which certain venues pressured tour promoters to remove him from the lineup entirely.

Sheeran's Attempt at a Middle Path

In his statement, Sheeran said he had spent the week talking extensively with venues "at length all week to try and build a bridge" — but ultimately, promoters Messina Touring Group made the call to pull Macklemore from the tour regardless.

While Sheeran described himself as "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine" and called the suffering on both sides "a human tragedy," he also worked to explain why he's chosen to stay publicly quiet on the issue.

"I am not complicit," he wrote. "I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because 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."

Why Sheeran Avoids Political Statements

Sheeran elaborated further on his reasoning: "There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics - my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum." He added that he respected "Macklemore's strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes," while framing his own approach differently: "There is room for multiple approaches to the same end: Peace."

He continued, "I choose to use 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." Sheeran also noted that, as with all his support acts, Macklemore had been given full freedom to choose his own setlist.

A Statement That Backfired

If Sheeran's message was meant to smooth things over with fans and fellow artists, it appears to have done the opposite — fueling rather than extinguishing the backlash.

Fellow Artists Speak Out

Writing on Instagram, Lukas Graham didn't hold back: "We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them."

Rowe, who had opened for Sheeran during the Australian leg of the tour earlier in the year before rejoining as a US support act in June, said leaving wasn't an easy call. "I could never thank him enough for this," he wrote of Sheeran, adding that he did not "take the decision [to quit] lightly."

Beoga's statement carried a sharper edge: "As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us."

Where the Controversy Began

The saga traces back to Sept. 4, when Macklemore performed at Sheeran's concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Addressing the crowd, he said: "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," dedicated to pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University and critical of Israel's military actions in Gaza, while footage of devastation in Gaza played on the venue's big screen. Some in the audience cheered — but backlash online arrived almost instantly.

Criticism Mounts Quickly

The Israeli American Council launched a petition demanding Macklemore's removal from the tour, while advocacy group StopAntisemitism accused the musician of ambushing fans with propaganda — a claim later amplified when pop star Pink reposted it on Instagram.

The following night, Macklemore returned to the same stage and directly addressed what he called 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 said, adding that he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they hadn't been forgotten.

The Broader Conflict in Context

Israel rejects allegations of genocide, maintaining that its military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank comply with international law and represent self-defense. Israel's military campaign began in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed roughly 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, more than 73,780 people have been killed during Israel's campaign in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry — figures the UN considers reliable.

Macklemore's Removal Becomes Official

After days of mounting press coverage, Macklemore announced Monday that he had officially been dropped from the tour lineup. In an Instagram statement, he said the effort to remove him had been organized by Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

A Billionaire Enters the Fray

Kraft — who had previously hired Sheeran to perform at his own wedding — confirmed he made the decision to bar Macklemore, stating his venue would not "provide a platform for hate speech" and 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 said. He did not, however, directly address claims that he had pressured other venues to follow his lead.

The Promoter's Side of the Story

Tour promoter Messina Touring Group told Rolling Stone it had been informed by venues that they would refuse to allow Macklemore to perform, warning that this "would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans" — a threat that ultimately forced the promoter's hand.

Kraft's Influence Fuels Further Walkouts

Many of the artists who withdrew Tuesday night cited Kraft's involvement as a key factor in their decision. "Money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation," Lukas Graham said. "Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge."

Macklemore's Parting Words

In his own statement, Macklemore said he sympathized with the difficult position Sheeran had been placed in, but criticized him for declining to take a public stance. "Taking a side can cost you. Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I've lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed," he wrote. He added that even having completed only two shows on the tour, if his remarks succeeded in "turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I've ever been on."

Political Reaction in the UK

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today program Wednesday, U.K. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said artists have every right to speak out politically, while adding, "I do feel for Ed Sheeran." She continued: "I think he's been left in a really difficult decision, stuck between his supporting artists, whom he wants to promote and support, and the promoters, and I hope that people will still go and see his show." Nandy added that "nobody should be platforming antisemitism," while acknowledging that promoters and individuals were "entitled to take their own views" about whether politics belongs at concerts.

Sharp Words From Advocacy Groups

Elan Carr, chief executive of the Israeli-American Council, told the same program that Macklemore's remarks were "outrageous" and had "no place in a concert." He added, "A concert is supposed to be inclusive, and this is by the way something Mr Sheeran said, he wants inclusive concerts for all his concertgoers. And to make Jewish concertgoers and pro-Israel concertgoers feel unwelcome is a terrible thing to do and that's what Macklemore did, and so it is entirely appropriate that he was excused from further performances."

The Public Weighs In

The controversy has sparked heated public debate well beyond the industry itself. One caller, Isaac from London, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Nicky Campbell phone-in that Sheeran "should have cancelled the tour" and "maybe gave some funds to a Palestine relief fund" while still paying the tour crew.

Another caller, Deborah, from Sheeran's home county of Suffolk, pushed back on that idea: "But then who suffers? The fans. The fans who have organised their life around have going to these concerts. The people who have been looking forward to it for weeks, months, years."

What began as a handful of pointed remarks on a New Jersey stage has now cascaded into a full-blown tour crisis — one that's left Sheeran caught between conflicting loyalties, with no clear path forward that satisfies everyone watching.