Ed Sheeran Responds To Macklemore Being Dropped From Loop Tour

Ed Sheeran responded to Macklemore being removed from the final eight U.S. dates of the Loop Tour. Sheeran addressed the situation in a statement posted to Instagram, saying the decision was made by the tour’s promoter and venues rather than by him.

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” Sheeran wrote. “Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.”

Sheeran’s statement comes one day after Macklemore addressed his removal from the tour. Macklemore wrote that Sheeran and his team had made the decision after pressure from venue owners, including New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft. Messina Touring Group, promoter of the U.S. portion of the Loop Tour, previously stated that venues had informed the company they would not allow concerts to take place with Macklemore on the lineup. Kraft also confirmed that Gillette Stadium would not allow Macklemore to perform at Sheeran’s September 25 and 26 concerts.

Sheeran said venues hosting upcoming shows contacted the tour after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian statements while opening Sheeran’s concerts at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. According to Sheeran, the venues indicated they would cancel the concerts if Macklemore remained on the bill.

Sheeran wrote that he spent the past week speaking with venues, promoters and activists in an effort to find a resolution. He specifically said he spoke at length with Kraft.

Macklemore’s MetLife Stadium remarks came amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which escalated after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza.

“I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so,” Sheeran wrote. “I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.”

Sheeran also addressed his approach to political issues, writing that he generally does not use his professional platform for politics while adding that he respects Macklemore “as an artist” and his “strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes.” Sheeran described the Israel-Palestine conflict as a “human tragedy” and said he has personal views that he chooses not to discuss publicly.

“There is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace,” Sheeran wrote. “I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed.”

Read Sheeran’s complete statement below.