Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour following his vocal support for Palestine during the initial concerts of the series.
The Messina Touring Group, which is behind the U.S. portion of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, announced: “We have been informed by venues set to host the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not permit a concert with Macklemore in the lineup,” as reported by Rolling Stone.
They explained that including Macklemore would lead to the cancellation of the tour, affecting hundreds of thousands of fans. After further discussions with stakeholders, the decision was made that he would not perform at the remaining dates.
In response to the cancellation, Macklemore posted a strong message on Instagram reaffirming his support for Palestine. His removal seems linked to demands from stadium owner Robert Kraft, along with pressure on other venues to exclude the artist.
The shift in the lineup was highlighted after Macklemore consistently expressed his solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, advocating for a “free Palestine” at the earlier shows.
He was originally scheduled to perform at eight of the ten remaining concerts on Sheeran’s tour.
On September 14, Macklemore addressed the cancellation in a detailed Instagram post, mentioning that Ed Sheeran told him Kraft had intervened. “We were meant to play at Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft Group. Ed said Kraft told him I wouldn’t be allowed to perform there,” he explained.
Moreover, Macklemore shared that Kraft had rallied support from other stadium owners, presenting Ed with an ultimatum: if Macklemore remained on the tour, then he would be barred from performing in those venues.
The touring group pointed out that this ultimatum would lead to tour cancellations impacting many fans. “Ed found himself in a difficult position; he was aware of that,” Macklemore said.
He observed that Ed’s usual apolitical stance was being put to the test. “He mentioned that the phrase ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were seen as offensive to many people he spoke to,” Macklemore reflected.
He countered, “If those words are more hurtful than the deaths of countless Palestinian children, then there’s a significant disconnect in perspectives. But Ed couldn’t move past his public image of not taking a side.”
Ultimately, Macklemore emphasized his priorities, stating, “I wasn’t after ten shows with Ed. I only needed two opportunities to stand in front of 90,000 people and voice what had become too risky to say. Free Palestine.”
He summed it up by saying, “If speaking those words costs me this stage but turns the conversation back to Palestine, then that makes this the most successful tour I’ve ever participated in.”
Kraft, who owns the NFL’s New England Patriots, is well-known for his strong support of Israel and various Jewish causes outside of football.
His family has deep ties with Brandeis University, promoting Jewish leadership initiatives and programs related to Israel, while his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism aims to arm Jewish leaders with tools to fight antisemitism. Critics, however, argue that some of Kraft’s efforts are focused more on silencing dissent against Israel than on addressing actual antisemitism.
During the initial performances, Macklemore expressed, “One of the main reasons I wanted to join this tour was to take the stage in arenas like these and say two words that mean so much to me: Free Palestine.”
He repeated the phrase “Free Palestine” during shows on September 4 and 5, displaying images of Gaza while performing his song “Hinds’s Hall.”
