Ed Sheeran apologises on stage as solo Philadelphia show addresses Macklemore row

Background

Ed Sheeran has broken his silence over the row that has engulfed his US tour, using his first concert since the controversy to apologise to fans and set out his views on Gaza.

The dispute began when the US rapper Macklemore, real name Benjamin Haggerty, made a pro-Palestinian speech on stage during his support slot on Ed Sheeran's Loop tour. At the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month, Macklemore said 'Free Palestine' and told his 'Jewish brothers and sisters' that criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid and being against genocide was in no way criticism of them. He also called for freedom for Lebanon, Cuba, Congo and Sudan, and criticised the US immigration agency ICE. Footage of devastation in Gaza was shown on screens. He had been a pro-Palestinian activist for some time.

The remarks divided audiences. The Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be dropped from the tour. The singer Pink criticised him, saying he did not have the right to speak for Jewish people in the way she said he did. Boy George praised Pink and shared an image mocking Macklemore, arguing that slogans such as 'Free Palestine' offered the appearance of moral courage without requiring much political knowledge.

Fallout

Ed Sheeran initially tried to stay out of the argument. He said the decision to remove Macklemore was the promoter's, not his, and that Macklemore's contract was with the promoter. He said he had personal views on the conflict but did not want to use his professional platform for politics because his audience included young people and children, and that both sides were suffering. He also said he respected Macklemore's strength of purpose.

The row escalated after Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts and founder of the Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism, made clear that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at his venues. Kraft said the decision was not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians, but that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas. Ed Sheeran later said he was not complicit in the decision and that he had tried to find a resolution.

After Macklemore was dropped, the tour fell apart. All of Ed Sheeran's support acts and his backing band pulled out in solidarity. They included Finneas, the brother of Billie Eilish, who said artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed; the Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, who said Irish people understood genocide, forced famine and violent occupation; the Danish band Lukas Graham; and the Irish band Beoga. Ed Sheeran was left to perform alone. Ticket prices for remaining dates plunged, with seats in Philadelphia advertised for as little as 57 pounds or 24 dollars. Irish radio station Classic Hits dropped his music from its playlists. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said he had been left in an impossible position.

Macklemore responded by saying he was not a victim, nor were Ed Sheeran or Pink, because they had careers, money, opportunities and safety. He said the victims were Palestinians who had been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence. He said he would donate his 1 million dollar fee for the tour to six Palestinian organisations. Ed Sheeran pledged 2 million dollars to Middle East charities and called Robert Kraft to ask him to match the donation. Kraft confirmed he would match it and said the goal was to work together to build bridges.

Philadelphia show

Ed Sheeran's next concert in Philadelphia became the focal point. He performed solo, started later than planned, and faced pro-Palestinian protests outside the stadium. Inside, he opened with a prepared statement. He apologised for mistakes, said he had tried not to be a political commentator because he wanted his music to be about unity rather than division, and then said this was a humanitarian issue he could no longer hide from. He described the Hamas attacks in Israel and at the Nova music festival on October 7 as horrific and said they had compounded centuries of Jewish pain. He said what was happening in Gaza was catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate, that his heart was broken by the loss of civilian and child lives, and that systemic injustice in the West Bank could not be overlooked. He also said he was deeply worried by the idea that venues should pre-approve content or performers, and that this should never happen in the free world.

The crowd largely cheered him, and he became emotional on stage, saying he had not known whether he would be safe or whether fans would boo. But some former fans and protesters said he had capitulated to corporate interests. One fan outside said she felt betrayed. Another concertgoer said politics did not belong at a music venue. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators said they wanted more artists to speak up for Palestinians. Campaigners cited what they described as hundreds of cases of anti-Palestinian repression.

Wider debate

The episode has become a wider debate about free speech, celebrity, and whether artists can remain neutral. Paloma Faith said being apolitical was itself a political act and that Ed Sheeran should have stood by the line-up he had booked. Music journalists noted that he had performed at a benefit concert for Ukraine and supported other causes, making his claim to be apolitical hard to sustain. Others said audiences now expect artists to take positions, while some argued that demanding political statements from every performer was unfair and unsustainable. Ed Sheeran is due to continue his North American tour with a reduced show and no support acts, while Macklemore's own ticket sales and social media following have risen.