Ed Sheeran has spoken out following the exclusion of Macklemore as the opening act of his world tour due to his on-stage comments in support of Palestine. The controversy began when the renowned American rapper and songwriter delivered a passionate speech while performing as the opening act for the Irish singer at a New Jersey concert. From the stage, Macklemore called for “all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality” and demanded a “Free Palestine”.
Shortly after making these statements, the artist faced calls to be removed from the tour by the American-Israeli Council. The institution argued that he had used his platform to “promote a partial political agenda.” Macklemore then responded to the criticism, stating that fighting for equality “should never be controversial”.
Shortly thereafter it was confirmed that Macklemore had been excluded from the tour. Through his social media, he explained that he did not consider himself “a victim,” since “the victims are the Palestinian people”. He also referred to Ed Sheeran as a “friend” and stated that the Irishman was in a difficult situation after Robert Kraft—the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots—told Sheeran that the concerts could not take place if Macklemore participated.
The decision has divided the music world. While artists such as Pink accuse Macklemore of having “turned a popular event into a political nightmare against the Jewish State,” the rest of Ed Sheeran’s opening acts have also left the tour in solidarity with him. One of them, Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother, has stated that “artists should not be silenced when they raise their voices in defense of the oppressed”.
Ed Sheeran Defends Himself
After being left without any of his five opening acts, Ed Sheeran has also spoken out on the situation and stated that it was not his decision to remove Macklemore from the tour. In a lengthy Instagram post, the singer began by saying that he was “deeply troubled by the Israel-Palestine conflict” and that he regards the “suffering and pain caused to both sides” as a “tragedy.” The author of Shape of You went on to explain that he had included him on his tour because “he respects him as an artist”.
Macklemore, during a performance in France.
“I spoke at length and openly with venue managers throughout the week to try to bridge gaps,” added Ed Sheeran. “One of those people was Robert Kraft. I also took part in direct conversations with the promoters, along with activists from both sides, to try to find a mutual solution for everyone, but the decision of the venue managers and the promoters was final.”
A continuación, el artista irlandés reiteró que la decisión de excluir al rapero estadounidense de la gira no partió de él, y escribió: “La salida de Macklemore de la gira fue decisión del promotor, no mía. El contrato de Macklemore para la gira era con el promotor, no conmigo. Nunca defraudaría a los fans que habían hecho planes, ni abandonaría al equipo de la gira ni a los demás artistas teloneros y músicos que dependen de mí para trabajar y ganarse la vida”.
Ed Sheeran: “I Am Not an Accomplice”
The Irish artist subsequently reiterated that the decision to exclude the American rapper from the tour did not come from him, and wrote: “Macklemore’s exit from the tour was the promoter’s decision, not mine. Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not with me. I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the tour team or the other opening acts and musicians who depend on me to work and earn a living.”
He followed by explaining that he has consciously decided not to reveal his “personal opinions on this devastating conflict”, in order to “use my platform and my music to bring people together from all backgrounds and cultures.” He also stressed that he wants his concerts to be a space of “unity, joy, escape, love, and a place where everyone feels welcome”.
“I am not an accomplice. The fact that I choose not to speak publicly does not mean that I do not have [opinions], nor that I do not care. It also does not mean that I do not support causes in my own way, personally,” added Sheeran. “If we only focus on shouting louder, nothing will ever change. There are different ways to advocate for change,” said the singer, who has publicly joined the cause of Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, to close his statement.
