Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour has been thrown into further turmoil after Macklemore‘s politically charged removal.
On Tuesday, September 15, the opening acts Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga each announced that they would no longer take part in Sheeran’s ongoing Loop Tour.
“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people,” Finneas wrote on Instagram.
Rowe also shared on social media that he didn’t “take the decision lightly” because Sheeran “has been a friend to me and has changed my life.”
“I could never thank him enough for this. But as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation,” he said.
“I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children. I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal,” he continued.
Rowe mentioned, “I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonization, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland.”
He concluded, “Free Palestine.”
Band Beoga, who perform with the Shape of You singer, also announced their withdrawal, citing “the silencing of Macklemore by Zionist lobbies.”
The band said they remain friends with Sheeran and support dialogue to advance the plight of the Palestinian people.
In a statement, they shared that the band stands with Macklemore’s message.
Lukas Graham, a Danish group fronted by Lukas Forchhammer, wrote on Instagram that it was “hard to watch families in other part of the world burying the people they love.”
“I grew up in Christiania, a small community in Denmark where speaking your mind was part of your everyday life. Having more money didn’t make your opinion worth more than anyone else’s. Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge,” he wrote.
“This is a difficult decision, but it’s one I need to stand by,” he concluded.
Notably, the withdrawals came after Macklemore, 43, was removed from Sheeran’s Loop Tour following his vocal support for Palestinians in Gaza, Rolling Stone reported September 14.
He had been scheduled for eight more U.S. shows, starting in Philadelphia on September 19.
The final show for Sheeran’s Loop Tour is scheduled for November 7 in Tampa, Fla.
