In an unprecedented show of solidarity, Ed Sheeran’s remaining opening acts—Grammy winner Finneas, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, and Danish pop outfit Lukas Graham—alongside his core backing band Beoga, have all officially resigned from the North American leg of The Loop Tour. The mass departure comes within 24 hours of confirmation that rapper Macklemore was removed from the tour following pro-Palestinian remarks made on stage at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
Finneas was the first to announce his withdrawal on Instagram, writing:
“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.”
Irish singer Aaron Rowe quickly followed suit, releasing a poignant statement connecting his decision to his heritage:
“I have made the decision to withdraw as a support act for Ed Sheeran’s ‘The Loop’ North American Tour. I don’t take the decision lightly. Ed 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. 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. I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonisation, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland. Free Palestine.”
Danish hitmaker Lukas Graham echoed similar sentiments regarding corporate influence over artistic expression:
“It’s hard to watch families in other parts of the world burying the people they love. We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them. I grew up in Christiania, a small community in Denmark where speaking your mind was part of 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.”
“I love Ed, and i’m grateful for everything we’ve shared, That hasn’t changed. But I can’t put those words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand. We’re withdrawing from the remaining dates. I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision, but it’s one I need to stand by.”
Perhaps the most significant blow to the tour’s production comes from traditional Irish group Beoga, who perform alongside Sheeran during a key six-song set every night. The band released a blistering critique of corporate venue pressure:
“We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran’s band on the remaining US Loop tour, following the silence of Macklemore by zionist lobbies. We are a traditional band who never saw ourselves playing in stadiums of that size and that opportunity is not lost on us. We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people.”
“As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us. It’s important that everyone knows that the real enemy is the zionist lobby. They have worked tirelessly to silence artists who want to speak freely about a genocide happening before our eyes, for fear of retribution. Research how much Robert Kraft has done to fight the BDS movement. That will give you a sense of what we’ve all been up against. We were there for Macklemore’s performance and speech. We fully supported his message, so did most of the audience in Met Life Stadium which terrifies the lobbies. Go back and read the transcript if you’re in doubt.”
“We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists For Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be. This whole episode is once again serving to distract from the real issue, over 1000 Palestinians have been killed since the most recent so-called ceasefire. Up the workers. Free Palestine.”
With zero remaining support acts and his signature folk-fusion ensemble gone, Sheeran faces an unprecedented logistical challenge as the stadium tour moves forward.
