Aaron Rowe Withdraws As Ed Sheeran’s Opener After Macklemore Dropped Over ‘Free Palestine’ Backlash
Rowe was slated to be one of two supporting acts for the majority of Sheeran’s remaining tour dates.
Ed Sheeran and Macklemore, longtime friends in the music industry, joined forces to release the song "Growing Up" in 2015. A year later, the pair performed together at the iHeartRadio Music Festival, with Macklemore opening for Sheeran. Their friendship and collaborative history came into question when Macklemore was removed from the opening slot of Sheeran's Loop Tour, following his public call for "free Palestine" and performance of "Hind's Hall," a song criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza.
The Palestinian death toll due to the conflict had surpassed 73,000 at the time of Macklemore's performance, with the United Nations declaring Israel's actions as genocidal. Despite this, both Macklemore and Sheeran have expressed their differing viewpoints on the matter.
Following the controversy, notable individuals such as Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft and other Loop Tour opening acts, including Finneas and Lukas Graham, have also weighed in on the issue. This timeline will provide an overview of the events surrounding Macklemore's support for Palestinians during the U.S. leg of Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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