Ed Sheeran broke down in tears onstage in Philadelphia as he addressed the Macklemore controversy for the first time since his Loop Tour imploded.
Sheeran, 35, took the stage alone at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night after losing all his opening acts, telling the crowd, “Um, this is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s OK if I say a few words about this last week.”
“I’m used to my music being criticized, and I’m always happy to take that, because I’m lucky a lot of you like my stuff and, to be honest, I’m not surprised that other people don’t. That’s normal,” he continued. “But this week, the criticism was about something much more important.”
“I am making mistakes,” Sheeran admitted, adding, “and I’m so, so sorry.”
The British singer said he’s “never wanted to be an activist musician,” but found himself “in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,” referring to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Macklemore, 43, had been dropped from the tour on Sept. 14 after calling for a free Palestine during his set at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” he said onstage. “I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them.”
The “Thrift Shop” rapper also performed his 2024 protest song “Hind’s Hall,” named after Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed by the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza. His remarks drew backlash from pro-Israel groups, with singer Pink notably calling him out. Venues subsequently informed promoter Messina Touring Group that Macklemore would not be permitted at upcoming US shows.
“[This] would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” the promoter said in a statement, adding that “after discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”
Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga all announced Tuesday they would exit the remaining dates in solidarity. The exodus left Sheeran without any openers and forced Saturday’s Philadelphia start time from 5:30 p.m. To 8 p.m. Protesters gathered near the venue ahead of the show.
Sheeran addressed Macklemore’s removal on Instagram Tuesday, writing that he is “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine” but is “not complicit.” He explained that he had agreed to let Macklemore choose his own set list, but said the issue stemmed from how Macklemore “conveyed part of his message during his performance.” He claimed he tried to “build a bridge” between sides, but that the promoter made the final call.
“Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me,” he wrote. “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”
Macklemore fired back on Instagram Monday, claiming Patriots owner Robert Kraft called Sheeran to say he “would not be allowed to perform” at Gillette Stadium later this month. He said Sheeran told him the words “Free Palestine” and the Palestinian flag were “hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with.”
“I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood,” Macklemore wrote, claiming Sheeran “couldn’t get past his public-facing, ‘I don’t take sides.'” The two had known each other for 13 years, he noted, calling Sheeran “a brother” despite their “painful disagreement.”
The family rift deepened when Sheeran’s cousin Jethro posted a scathing Instagram rant Thursday. “Finally it’s all coming out! I’m ashamed of my cousin Ed he’s done. Finally the world and all his fans see through him. He’s not a good person, I don’t like his music so I can’t say he’s even a good artist,” he wrote. “In my opinion he’s a bad human. Just my opinion from my experiences.”
At Saturday’s concert, Sheeran said he is “deeply worried” about venues controlling performers’ stage content. “This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world,” he said. He acknowledged he has tried to avoid being “a political commentator of any kind” because he wants his shows “to be about unity, not division” and “about humanity, not politics.”
“But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore,” he added, calling the Oct. 7 Nova music festival bombing “horrific” and a compounding of “centuries of Jewish pain,” while stating that what’s happening in Gaza “is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate” and that West Bank events “cannot be overlooked.”
Sheeran said he’s still “listening and learning, because [he does] not know enough” about how to best help victims. He concluded his emotional address by telling the audience, “I honestly am so grateful that you’re here tonight with me. This concert is still a place where everyone is welcome and everyone here can stand beside people that have opposing views, and everyone here can stand by people they don’t agree with on everything — but they can all agree on singing these songs.”
Macklemore donated $1 million in tour earnings to Palestinian relief efforts and challenged Kraft to match him. Kraft later pledged $2 million, saying Sheeran personally called on him to do so and that the decision predated Macklemore’s challenge.
Sheeran’s Loop Tour continues with upcoming North American dates.