{
  "id": 7716088,
  "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-7716088",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T05:22:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Khaosod English",
    "slug": "khaosod-english",
    "url": "https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/international/2026/09/16/ed-sheerans-tour-in-trouble-after-opening-acts-drop-out-in-solidarity-with-rapper-macklemore/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ed Sheeran's North and South America tour faced turmoil on Tuesday as four opening acts abruptly departed, supporting rapper Macklemore's removal for his pro-Palestinian remarks. Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas - Billie Eilish's brother and musical collaborator - all posted on Instagram they were leaving the tour. Rowe, Beoga, and Lukas Graham were originally set to replace Macklemore on Sheeran's remaining U.S. dates, while Finneas was scheduled to tour with him in South America. In a statement, Beoga cited their understanding of colonialism in Irish history as the reason for departing, while Lukas Graham said it was a \"difficult decision.\" Finneas argued that \"artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.\" Sheeran himself posted on Instagram that the promoter's decision was final, explaining that he had tried to negotiate with venues but the decision remained unaltered. He stated he is not complicit in the situation, defending his stance on avoiding political discussions during his concerts.",
  "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. Hours after Sheeran posted on social media about Macklemore’s ouster and attributed the decision to the […] The post Ed Sheeran’s tour in trouble after…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 12,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "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": "The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-09-16T02:39:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "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"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KBC",
        "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-7707437",
        "published": "2026-09-16T03:34:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "Unpacking the 12 days that threw Ed Sheeran's tour into chaos",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/unpacking-the-12-days-that-threw-ed-sheerans-tour-into-chaos",
        "published": "2026-09-16T06:09:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Opening acts quit Ed Sheeran’s tour as Macklemore dropped over pro-Palestine remarks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/opening-acts-quit-ed-sheerans-tour-as-macklemore-dropped-over-pro",
        "published": "2026-09-16T06:15:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NPR",
        "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-7725583",
        "published": "2026-09-16T06:41:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Ed Sheeran tour loses four acts after Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian comments",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ed-sheeran-tour-loses-four-acts-after-macklemores-pro-palestinian",
        "published": "2026-09-16T07:04:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "Ed Sheeran's support acts quit US tour after Macklemore dropped for pro-Palestinian comments",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ed-sheerans-support-acts-quit-us-tour-after-macklemore-dropped-for",
        "published": "2026-09-16T07:07:22.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}