{
  "id": 7725583,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T06:41:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "NPR",
    "slug": "npr",
    "url": "https://www.npr.org/2026/09/16/g-s1-143549/ed-sheeran-tour-trouble"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America has been disrupted after four supporting acts quit in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour for making pro-Palestinian comments. According to Khaosod English, the withdrawn acts include Irish musicians Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas, brother of Billie Eilish.\n\nMacklemore was removed from the tour after expressing support for Palestine during a concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4, as reported by the Daily Times.\n\nThe withdrawn acts, including Finneas, cited their reasons for leaving in statements on social media, with Finneas saying \"artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed\" and stating his support for Palestine and its people.",
  "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": "Khaosod English",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-09-16T05:22:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "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": "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."
}