Ed Sheeran’s upcoming tour has plunged into turmoil after a mass walkout by his supporting acts in the wake of a political controversy involving rapper Macklemore.
1. The Macklemore Controversy and Tour Fallout
The chain reaction began following an incident involving rapper Macklemore, who had been serving as an opener for Sheeran’s LOOP tour.
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MetLife Stadium Tirade: During a concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Macklemore took the stage wearing a keffiyeh and launched into an anti-Israel tirade, telling the crowd, “Free Palestine.”
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Removal from the Tour: Following the remarks, several venues made it clear they would refuse to let the rapper perform, leading to Macklemore being officially booted from the remainder of the concert series.
Finneas O’Connell (left) and Billie Eilish attend the 96th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Hollywood, California.Getty Images 
Lukas Forchhammer of the band Lukas Graham appears at the World Mental Health Day Gala in New York on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.
2. Supporting Acts Mass-Resign in Solidarity
In direct response to Macklemore’s removal, all four of Ed Sheeran’s scheduled opening acts announced they were dropping out of the tour in solidarity.
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Who Dropped Out: The departing acts include Finneas (Billie Eilish’s brother, who was set for the South American leg), alongside Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham, and Irish folk group Beoga (all scheduled for the US leg).
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Statements from the Artists: The withdrawing performers cited artistic freedom and solidarity with Palestine as their reasons for leaving. Aaron Rowe condemned the silencing of voices speaking out against Israel, Finneas stated that artists must not be silenced when speaking for the oppressed, and Beoga explicitly criticized the “silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies” as they walked away from the high-profile tour.