Irish music acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga have withdrawn from Ed Sheeran's American tour following backlash over rapper Macklemore's pro-Palestinian statements. The decision comes after all of Sheeran's support acts, including Danish pop star Lukas Graham and Finneas, brother of Billie Eilish, announced their exit. Macklemore was removed from the tour by promoters after making onstage comments supporting Palestinians in Gaza during two performances.
Sheeran had previously posted on social media about the removal, attributing it to the tour's organizers. In response, several artists, including Finneas, expressed solidarity with Macklemore on Instagram. The controversy highlights growing tensions around political expression in the music industry.
The Irish acts, along with others, have chosen to leave the tour in support of Macklemore's stance. The situation underscores the impact of political statements on artistic collaborations. The full implications of the withdrawal remain to be seen as the tour continues without its original support acts.
