Ed Sheeran in hot water: musicians abandon him after Macklemore's ousting. And Roger Waters lashes out at him

Ed Sheeran's "Loop Tour" in the United States has run into a storm after Macklemore was dropped from upcoming dates. The British singer-songwriter attributed the decision to promoters and stadium management, but it triggered a chain reaction: Aaron Rowe, Beoga and Lukas Graham have announced they are pulling out of the American dates, while Finneas has withdrawn from the shows scheduled later in South America.

Macklemore's stance

The affair stems from the shows at MetLife Stadium, in New Jersey. During the September 5 date, Macklemore, introducing his protest song "Hind's Hall," spoke about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank and shouted "Free Palestine!" The rapper also added: "To all my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticizing Israel, criticizing apartheid, and being against genocide is in no way a criticism of you."
His words sparked protests and pressure on promoter Messina Touring Group. According to reports from the United States, some venue owners reportedly made it clear they were unwilling to host Macklemore on subsequent dates. Among them was Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, who justified his opposition by pointing not only to the rapper's recent statements but also to what he called "a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we find deeply offensive and painful for the Jewish community." Macklemore then announced on social media that he had been dropped from the tour, claiming the promoter had caved to pressure from certain stadium owners. While stressing the long-standing personal relationship he has with Sheeran, the rapper criticized how the decision was handled and the weight, in his view, exerted by extremely powerful financial interests.
Sheeran in turn stepped in to clarify that he had not personally decided to remove Macklemore. "Macklemore being removed from the tour was a decision by the promoter, not me," he wrote, explaining that he had spent days discussing the matter with the venues involved in an attempt to find a solution: "The venue and promoter's decision was final." The British musician added that he respects "Macklemore's determination to make his voice heard and fight for what he believes in," but said he was choosing a different path. While stating that he holds personal views on the conflict, Sheeran explained that he prefers not to turn his concerts into venues for political debate, saying he wants to use music to "bring together people from every background and culture" and to offer "a safe and welcoming space."

A wave of withdrawals

Sheeran's explanations, however, failed to stop the fallout. Aaron Rowe, who was due to appear on the remaining North American dates, announced his withdrawal while still calling Sheeran a friend and acknowledging how important his support has been to his own career. The Irish singer-songwriter justified the decision by invoking his country's history, saying he could not accept "billionaires using their position of power to silence the legitimate voices of those who speak out." Beoga, the Irish folk band that has been linked to Sheeran for years and features at certain points in his shows, took a similar stance. "We are Irish and we understand what colonialism means," the group said, recalling their involvement with the Irish Artists for Palestine movement. Lukas Graham also pulled out of the dates, calling it a difficult choice and thanking Sheeran. The Danish band pushed back on the idea that financial power should determine which issues get a voice on stage: "Money doesn't buy the right to control the conversation. No one's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or what suffering we're allowed to acknowledge."
Finally came the withdrawal of Finneas, brother and longtime collaborator of Billie Eilish, who was set to join Sheeran on some of the South American dates. "Artists should not be silenced when they stand up for the oppressed," he wrote. "I have decided to withdraw from the upcoming dates of Ed Sheeran's tour. I stand with Palestine and its people."

Roger Waters' insults

The controversy widened further with an aggressive intervention from Roger Waters. The former Pink Floyd frontman, who has long campaigned publicly in support of the Palestinian cause, attacked Sheeran directly on social media, contrasting his stance with Macklemore's and directing extremely harsh words at him. What had begun as a controversy tied to Macklemore's statements thus became a far bigger problem for the "Loop Tour"...

A message to @edsheeran regarding @macklemore . https://t.co/1bi8OsVPWd

— Roger Waters ✊ (@rogerwaters) September 16, 2026

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