Ed Sheeran Addresses Macklemore Controversy While on Stage at First Concert Since Rapper Dropped From Tour: ‘What Is Happening in Gaza Is Catastrophic and Unjustifiable’

Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from his Loop Tour on Saturday night, speaking from the stage at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field during his first concert since the rapper was dropped from the trek.

“Before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s okay if I say a few words about this last week,” Sheeran said at the top of Saturday’s show. “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 surprised. I’m not surprised that I’ve even done it. You know, it’s normal. But this week, the criticism was about something much more important, and I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry.”

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Sheeran continued: “I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet. My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.”

Saturday’s concert marked Sheeran’s first performance since a tumultuous week for the U.S. leg of his Loop Tour, which saw Macklemore removed from the remaining dates following the rapper’s onstage remarks in support of Palestinians during Sheeran’s Sept. 4 and 5 shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

During his MetLife performances, Macklemore spoke about the war in Gaza and the West Bank and told the stadium crowd “free Palestine.” His set also included “Hind’s Hall,” his 2024 protest song supporting Palestinians. The remarks drew criticism from some Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, including the Israeli-American Council, which called for Macklemore to be removed from the tour.

Messina Touring Group, the promoter behind the U.S. leg of the Loop Tour, subsequently announced that Macklemore would no longer appear on the remaining dates. The company said venues had informed the promoter that they would not allow concerts featuring Macklemore to proceed, a situation it said could have resulted in cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of ticket holders.

While Sheeran addressed the decision in a statement earlier this week, stressing that Macklemore’s removal was made by the promoter and venues rather than by him, he again acknowledged that he is “deeply worried about the idea that venues pre-approve content for performance.” “This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world,” he said.

At the time of his initial statement, Sheeran said he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine,” describing the suffering caused by the war as a “human tragedy,” while explaining that he has generally sought to keep his concerts focused on “unity, joy, escapism, love” rather than his own political views. On Saturday, he restated these feelings, though also speaking more explicitly about where he stands on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind, because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division,” he said. “But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore. What happened in Israel and at the Nome Museum Festival on October 7th was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate. Our hearts can be broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, children’s lives, and the systemic injustice we’re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”

He continued: “I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times, and listening and learning because I do not know enough.”

After Macklemore was dropped, he responded to his removal in a statement, saying that he and Sheeran had held “difficult conversations” in the aftermath of the MetLife shows. While expressing respect for Sheeran personally, the rapper challenged the singer’s preference for remaining publicly neutral and said he did not regret using the tour stage to speak in support of Palestinians. Macklemore has since said he will donate $1 million to Palestinian relief organizations.

The fallout quickly spread beyond Macklemore. Singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe and Danish band Lukas Graham, who had been expected to support Sheeran on upcoming North American dates, both withdrew from the tour. Finneas, who was scheduled to join Sheeran for a run of South American dates later this year, also pulled out, while Irish folk group Beoga — longtime collaborators who had been performing as part of Sheeran’s live show — exited as well. All four cited Macklemore’s removal in announcing their decisions.

The Philadelphia date nevertheless proceeded as scheduled Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field, kicking off the next stretch of Sheeran’s U.S. stadium run.