Ed Sheeran loses 200,000 social media followers. And Macklemore donates a million for Palestinians

The storm surrounding Ed Sheeran shows no sign of dying down. After Macklemore was dropped from the “Loop Tour” following the pro-Palestine statements the rapper made during the concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the other supporting acts have also decided to pull out of the remaining tour dates. Among those bowing out are Aaron Rowe and Beoga, while hours earlier the withdrawals of Finneas and Lukas Graham had also been announced. On top of the shattered line-up comes an image crisis: according to figures circulating in recent hours, Sheeran has reportedly lost around 200,000 social media followers, while Irish station Classic Hits Radio has announced that, at least for the “foreseeable future”, it will no longer play his songs.

Macklemore donates his earnings to support Palestinians

At the center of the affair remains Macklemore, who decided to turn the fee he received for the tour into a concrete stand. The rapper will donate the entire one million dollars in net earnings made as Sheeran's supporting act to six organizations working to help the Palestinian population: Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Heal Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee and Anera.
Macklemore also directly called out Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, inviting him to match his donation. According to the rapper, it was Kraft himself who issued an ultimatum over his place on the tour, threatening consequences over the use of the stadiums if he remained on the bill. Sheeran, for his part, has claimed he played no role in his exclusion, attributing the decision to the promoter.

Sheeran's donation

However, another version of events has also emerged. According to Kraft, Sheeran too reportedly made a donation to humanitarian initiatives connected to the crisis, a detail the promoter has used to push back against the notion that the British singer-songwriter has remained indifferent to the situation. Sheeran, for his part, stated that he has "personal opinions on this unfortunate conflict," but chose not to make them public.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen what consequences the controversy will have for the rest of the "Loop Tour." With a significant number of supporting acts pulling out, protests from part of the audience, the loss of followers, and even a radio station's decision to suspend airplay of his songs, the tour now finds itself surrounded by considerable uncertainty. The coming dates will show whether Sheeran and his team can put the bill back together and shift attention back to the music, or whether the controversy will continue to follow the tour.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google