British pop star loses all opening acts over Gaza dispute
Ed Sheeran’s openers quit after rapper Macklemore was dropped over “Free Palestine” remarks at a New Jersey show
British pop star Ed Sheeran has lost all of the musicians booked to open his upcoming concerts after rapper Macklemore was dropped from the lineup over pro-Palestine remarks. Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Beoga and Lukas Graham have all pulled out in protest.
The dispute erupted after Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, joined Sheeran’s Loop tour at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month. He told the crowd “Free Palestine” before performing Hind’s Hall, his protest song about the Gaza war, and later said he had been removed from the remaining dates after several venues objected to his participation.
Finneas announced on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from his scheduled appearances, saying he stood “with Palestine and its people.”
“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” the Grammy-winning musician wrote on Instagram.
Irish singer Aaron Rowe followed, saying he could not remain on the tour while wealthy figures silenced artists speaking about Gaza. “Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this,” he wrote, before condemning the killing of civilians.
Irish band Beoga and the Danish group Lukas Graham also pulled out. “Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation,” Lukas Graham said.
Macklemore has accused 85-year-old Jewish billionaire and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft of helping force him off the tour. He said Sheeran told him Kraft would not allow him to perform at Gillette Stadium and had rallied other venue owners behind an ultimatum threatening future shows if the rapper remained on the lineup.
Tour promoter Messina Touring Group confirmed that multiple venues had refused to host concerts with Macklemore on the bill, saying potential cancellations could affect “hundreds of thousands of fans.”
Sheeran said on Tuesday that dropping Macklemore was not his decision and that he had spent a week trying to reach a compromise with venue owners, including Kraft. “I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so,” he said.
Kraft confirmed that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium, citing his “recent actions” and what he called a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” He denied seeking to silence support for Palestinians.
Macklemore has rejected accusations that his advocacy targets Jews. At MetLife, he said criticism of Israel and opposition to what he called genocide “in no way is a criticism of you,” describing his message as one of “peace” and equal treatment.
The Gaza war began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has left more than 73,700 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza health authorities.
A UN commission has concluded that Israel committed genocide in the Palestinian enclave, an accusation Israel rejects.
