{
  "id": 7648161,
  "title": "Ed Sheeran's supporting acts pull out of tour after Macklemore was dropped",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/ed-sheerans-supporting-acts-pull-out-of-tour-after-macklemore-was",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T22:07:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CBS News",
    "slug": "cbs-news",
    "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ed-sheeran-macklemore-openers-back-out-finneas-aaron-rowe-beoga-lukas-graham/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Several musical acts pulled out of Ed Sheeran's tour on Tuesday following the rapper Macklemore's removal from the lineup due to his pro-Palestinian comments. Soon after Sheeran shared his disappointment on social media, supporting acts Aaron Rowe and Danish band Lukas Graham announced they would be replacing Macklemore on the remaining U.S. dates. Beoga, who occasionally performed with Sheeran during the tour, also withdrew, citing Macklemore's silencing by \"zionist lobbies.\" Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother and collaborator, was to join Sheeran in South America later this year, but his participation was also called off. The decisions by the other artists placed significant pressure on Sheeran, who had previously avoided engaging with politics during his shows. Macklemore had expressed frustration over venues prohibiting him from performing, citing pressure from Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots. In response, Kraft condemned Macklemore's comments and the history of antisemitic rhetoric attributed to him. Sheeran maintained that the promoter's decision was final, stating he refused to be drawn into a public debate about the Gaza conflict.",
  "summary": "Aaron Rowe, Beoga, Lukas Graham and Finneas all released statements Tuesday on Instagram saying they were withdrawing from Ed Sheeran's tour.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}