Ed Sheeran’s “The Loop” tour is facing a growing artist revolt after Finneas, Aaron Rowe and Irish band Beoga withdrew from the lineup in solidarity with Macklemore and the Palestinian people.
Macklemore was removed from the tour following pro-Palestine statements delivered during his opening performances at MetLife Stadium. The rapper later alleged that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft gave Sheeran an ultimatum: remove Macklemore or lose access to Gillette Stadium and several other NFL venues.
Kraft acknowledged spearheading the effort through a statement issued by Gillette Stadium, arguing that Macklemore’s remarks crossed into “hate speech” and reflected what he called a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.”
Finneas, who was scheduled to join the South American leg, announced his departure on Instagram while expressing support for Palestine and declaring that artists must not be silenced. Rowe, an Irish singer booked for the North American dates, connected his decision to Ireland’s history with occupation and condemned efforts to silence people speaking against the genocide. Beoga also departed, pointing to its members’ involvement as founders of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement.
Sheeran said the decision to remove Macklemore ultimately came from tour promoter Messina Touring Group after several venues reportedly threatened to cancel scheduled concerts. Gillette Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, AT&T Stadium in Dallas and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa were among the NFL venues said to have objected.
According to Sheeran, keeping Macklemore on the bill could have cost the tour multiple dates and affected hundreds of thousands of ticket holders. He said he spent the week attempting to “build a bridge” with venue operators, including an extended conversation with Kraft, before promoters finalized the removal.
The fallout has now moved well beyond one artist’s opening-set remarks. With three more acts walking away, “The Loop” has become the latest major entertainment platform caught in the escalating fight over Palestine, political expression and who gets to decide when an artist has gone too far.