{
  "id": 7687776,
  "title": "Ed Sheeran’s Tour in Trouble after Opening Acts Drop out in Solidarity with Rapper Macklemore",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ed-sheerans-tour-in-trouble-after-opening-acts-drop-out-in-solidarity-7687776",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T02:39:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun",
    "slug": "the-japan-news-by-the-yomiuri-shimbun",
    "url": "https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/news-services/ap/20260916-348920/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ed Sheeran's North and South American tour faced turmoil on Tuesday as four opening acts withdrew in solidarity with rapper Macklemore. The disputes arose following Macklemore's removal from the tour for making pro-Palestinian remarks during a recent performance. The four departing acts included Irish bands Aaron Rowe and Beoga, the Danish group Lukas Graham, and musician Finneas, who is Billie Eilish's brother and collaborator. Rowe and Lukas Graham were set to replace Macklemore on the remaining U.S. dates of Sheeran's tour, while Beoga had been performing with Sheeran during the middle of each set. Finneas expressed his decision, stating that \"artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed\" and that he stands with Palestine and its people. The artists' decisions put immense pressure on Sheeran, who had previously avoided politics, arguing that his fans attend his concerts for entertainment, not political discourse. Rowe and Beoga cited their country's history in their explanations for leaving the tour. Lukas Graham expressed gratitude to Sheeran but called the decision a \"difficult one\" and blamed billionaire Robert Kraft's role in Macklemore's removal from the tour. Sheeran confirmed that the decision to drop Macklemore was made by the promoters alone and expressed his refusal to engage in public discussions about the Israel-Gaza conflict.",
  "summary": "NEW YORK (AP) — Ed Sheeran’s tour of North and South America was plunged into chaos Tuesday when four of his supporting acts abruptly quit in solidarity with the rapper Macklemore, who was dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments onstage.",
  "key_points": [
    "Four opening acts withdraw from Ed Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore.",
    "Macklemore removed from tour for pro-Palestinian remarks.",
    "Finneas cites support for Palestine and artists' right to speak up."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The mass dropout of opening acts forces Ed Sheeran to navigate a fraught artistic and political landscape that he had previously sought to sidestep for the sake of his entertainment-focused fanbase.",
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/7687776.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Ed Sheeran's supporting acts quit after Macklemore is kicked off tour for pro-Palestinian stance",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/ed-sheerans-supporting-acts-quit-after-macklemore-is-kicked-off-tour",
        "published": "2026-09-15T23:17:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "Ed Sheeran's tour in jeopardy after opening acts all quit in support of Macklemore",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/ed-sheerans-tour-in-jeopardy-after-opening-acts-all-quit-in-support",
        "published": "2026-09-15T23:42:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Ed Sheeran tour exodus: Finneas and three more acts quit after Macklemore axing over pro-Palestine remarks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ed-sheeran-tour-exodus-finneas-and-three-more-acts-quit-after",
        "published": "2026-09-16T01:03:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Ed Sheeran's tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ed-sheerans-tour-in-trouble-after-opening-acts-drop-out-in-solidarity",
        "published": "2026-09-16T01:16:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "All support acts on Ed Sheeran’s US tour quit after Macklemore dropped",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/all-support-acts-on-ed-sheerans-us-tour-quit-after-macklemore-dropped",
        "published": "2026-09-16T02:51:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Ed Sheeran says it wasn’t his call to drop Macklemore over ‘Free Palestine’ remarks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ed-sheeran-says-it-wasnt-his-call-to-drop-macklemore-over-free",
        "published": "2026-09-16T03:30:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}