{
  "id": 7628322,
  "title": "Ed Sheeran’s Openers, Backing Band Depart Tour in Show of Support of Macklemore and Palestine",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/ed-sheerans-openers-backing-band-depart-tour-in-show-of-support-of",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-15T20:36:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Consequence",
    "slug": "consequence",
    "url": "https://consequence.net/2026/09/ed-sheeran-tour-openers-drop-out/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ed Sheeran's three opening acts and backing band have withdrawn from his US tour in solidarity with Macklemore and the Palestinian cause. FINNEAS, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe announced their departure due to Macklemore's pro-Palestine comments. FINNEAS wrote that artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed, while Graham emphasized that money should not decide who speaks or which suffering is acknowledged. Rowe, citing Irish history of genocide and occupation, expressed his inability to support the tour as it stood. Beoga, the band's backing band, shared a similar sentiment, citing their Irish heritage as the reason for their decision. All parties involved are proud friends of Ed Sheeran but feel it is necessary to stand by the Palestinian people and against Israeli genocide.",
  "summary": "FINNEAS, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe have left the tour as openers, while Sheeran's band Beoga also says it will no longer be joining him on the road. Ed Sheeran’s Openers, Backing Band Depart Tour in Show of Support of Macklemore and Palestine Alex Young",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "TheWrap",
        "title": "Ed Sheeran Fallout: Tour Openers Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe Drop in Solidarity With Macklemore",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/ed-sheeran-fallout-tour-openers-finneas-lukas-graham-and-aaron-rowe",
        "published": "2026-09-15T19:53:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Rolling Stone",
        "title": "Finneas and Every Other Ed Sheeran Opener Have Abandoned His Tour in Support of Macklemore",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/finneas-and-every-other-ed-sheeran-opener-have-abandoned-his-tour-in",
        "published": "2026-09-15T20:30:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NYT Arts",
        "title": "Pro-Palestinian Remarks Roil Sheeran Tour, Leading Finneas to Drop Out",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/pro-palestinian-remarks-roil-sheeran-tour-leading-finneas-to-drop-out",
        "published": "2026-09-15T21:13:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}