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Multiple artists have pulled out of Ed Sheeran’s “Loop” tour after rapper Macklemore was removed from the lineup. The departures follow Macklemore’s claim that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft pressured Sheeran to drop him. Finneas, Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Irish band Beoga, and Danish group Lukas Graham have all confirmed their exits. As a result, every opening act listed for Sheeran’s upcoming tour dates has now withdrawn.
How Macklemore Was Dropped From the Tour
Macklemore, whose legal name is Ben Haggerty, joined Sheeran’s tour in New Jersey earlier this month. During his set at MetLife Stadium, he told the crowd “Free Palestine” and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall.” He announced on Monday that he had been removed from the tour. He said Kraft called Sheeran and threatened to cancel Sheeran’s shows if Macklemore continued to perform.
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Messina Touring Group, the tour’s promoter, confirmed Monday that multiple venues said they would not allow concerts to proceed with Macklemore on the bill. The company told Rolling Stone that cancellations would “impact hundreds of thousands of fans.” Messina did not respond to multiple requests for comment from NBC News about the decision.
Sheeran released a statement Tuesday morning as criticism against him intensified. He said the decision to remove Macklemore was not his. He explained that venues had contacted him throughout the previous week, warning they would pull his shows if Macklemore remained on the tour. “I spoke with venues at length all week to try and build a bridge,” Sheeran said. “One of those people was Robert Kraft.” He added that his promoter held the contract with Macklemore and that the promoter made the final call. Sheeran also said he respected Macklemore’s “strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes.”
Artists Speak Out as They Exit the Tour
Finneas announced his withdrawal on Instagram. He wrote that he stands “with Palestine and its people” and that “artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.” This is not his first public show of support for Palestinians. Last year, he and his sister Billie Eilish joined other celebrities to promote a benefit concert called “Together for Palestine.”
About an hour before Finneas posted his statement, Aaron Rowe announced his own departure. The Irish singer said he could not remain on the tour while billionaires silenced voices speaking out against what he called “Israeli genocide” and the “savage murder of children.” Rowe acknowledged his friendship with Sheeran but added: “As Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine, and violent occupation.”
Beoga, Sheeran’s house band and a group of Irish musicians, also confirmed their exit. The band said they had been friends with Sheeran for over ten years and acknowledged the rare opportunity of performing in large stadiums. However, they said they could not stay silent. Their statement described what they called “the zionist lobby” as working to silence artists who speak about the conflict. Their Instagram post carried the Irish-language caption “Saoirse don Phailistín,” which translates to “Freedom for Palestine.”
Meanwhile, Lukas Graham issued a statement apologizing to fans while confirming the Danish band’s departure. The group referenced their roots in a small Danish community where “speaking your mind was part of everyday life.” Their statement added: “Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation.” They also said people should be free to speak about war and civilians being killed, regardless of where those civilians live.
Kraft Responds to Macklemore’s Accusations
In his own statement on Monday, Kraft did not directly deny Macklemore’s account. He said the decision to bar Macklemore from Gillette Stadium was based on the rapper’s “recent actions” on stage and what he described as “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Kraft said he believed this conduct had been “deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.”
Kraft also stated that his position was not intended to suppress Palestinian advocacy or minimize Palestinian suffering. “I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts,” Kraft said, “because ultimately our goal is the same — peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate.”
A United Nations commission published findings last year from an independent inquiry concluding that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Israeli government officials have denied those findings, calling them “distorted and false.” The controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from the Ed Sheeran tour has drawn renewed attention to those ongoing disputes over how artists and public figures address the conflict.
