Ed Sheeran Loses 4 Opening Acts In Support Of Macklemore: 'Artists Must Not Be Silenced'
Ed Sheeran Loses 4 Opening Acts In Support Of Macklemore: 'Artists Must Not Be Silenced'
Elyse Wanshel Tue, September 15, 2026 at 11:38 PM UTC
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Ed Sheeran and Finneas O'Connell.Getty
It’s safe to say that Ed Sheeran does not have the luck of the Irish — or a few Danes and an American.
On Tuesday, four of the Grammy winner’s opening acts for his Loop Tour dropped out of the lineup in protest after rapper Macklemore was removed as an opener for his pro-Palestine comments onstage.
Billie Eilish’s brother Finneas O’Connell, Irish musician Aaron Rowe, the Irish band Beoga, and Danish band Lukas Graham all published statements on their respective Instagram accounts that they are quitting Sheeran’s tour. They also made it abundantly clear that they support Palestine and reject New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft for orchestrating a campaign to silence the “Thrift Shop” rapper.
Macklemore said in a statement Monday that Kraft rallied other stadium owners to ban his performances at their venues. Kraft confirmed to TMZ that he had objected to Macklemore performing in his stadium.
“Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech,” Kraft told the outlet.
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“Much of my time and attention for the last decade has been focused on the fight against antisemitism and hate of all kinds,” he added, “and I feel a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed.”
Unfortunately, several of Sheeran’s opening acts didn’t agree with Kraft’s opinion.
Rowe cited his Irish heritage as his reason for dropping out of Sheeran’s tour. Ireland suffered under English occupation, which contributed to making it one of the most pro-Palestinian nations in the world.
“As Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation,” Rowe said. “I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children.”
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Beoga, who The reports was serving as Sheeran’s touring band, shared a very similar sentiment.
“We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be,” the band wrote in their statement.
“It’s important that everyone knows that the real enemy is the zionist lobby,” the band added, presumably referring to the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee, more commonly known as AIPAC. “They have worked tirelessly to silence artists who want to speak freely about a genocide happening before our very eyes, for fear of retribution.”
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Lukas Graham decided to blast Kraft without mentioning him by name.
“Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation,” their statement reads. “Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.”
O’Connell, who was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year, per AP, kept his statement short and sweet.
“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” he wrote.
He added: “I stand with Palestine and its people.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
