Ed Sheeran Weeps as He Addresses Macklemore Backlash at Concert - Newsweek

Ed Sheeran tearfully addressed the backlash over Macklemore being dropped from his Loop Tour during a concert in Philadelphia on Saturday. The singer called the situation in Gaza "catastrophic and unjustifiable."

Several supporting acts, including Finneas, Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish folk band Beoga, withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore after he was dropped following pro-Palestinian remarks at a New Jersey show.

Sheeran apologized for mistakes made during the controversy and said he is "listening and learning" while exploring ways to support victims of the conflict.

Newsweek reached out to Sheeran's representative via email for comment on Sunday.

Standing alone onstage at Lincoln Financial Field before a nearly full crowd, Sheeran delivered an emotional statement about the events of the past week. A video posted to social media by @yashar captured the moment. At the time of publication, it had over 875,000 views.

The four-time Grammy Award winner said he had faced criticism throughout his career but described the current situation as different because it involved issues far beyond music.

Sheeran acknowledged making mistakes as he navigated the fallout.

"I've had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I'm so, so sorry," he told concertgoers.

Although he said he never wanted to become an activist musician, Sheeran explained that the controversy placed him at the center of what he called an important debate about freedom of speech and one of the world's most complex political conflicts.

He said maintaining commitments to fans remained a priority and cited that as the reason he continued the tour despite losing supporting acts.

"I honestly am so grateful that you're here tonight with me. This concert is still a place where everyone is welcome," Sheeran added, as his voice appeared to crack with emotion.

In a separate clip posted by Rolling Stone, the father of two—who shares daughters Lyra and Jupiter with wife Cherry Seaborn—cried while thanking his fans.

"The world is a scary place right now; America is a scary place right now. This gives hope. Thank you so much, Philadelphia," he said before apologizing for the political remarks he made earlier in the show.

"I understand that people have children here. And I understand that families didn't buy a ticket to hear that first bit of the show, but that was something that I felt like I needed to say," Sheeran told the crowd. "I felt like there were a lot of questions that I needed to answer."

A central theme of Sheeran's remarks was opposition to venues reviewing or restricting performance content in advance.

"I am deeply worried about the idea that venues pre-approve content for performance," he said.

Sheeran argued that while such practices occur in various parts of the world, they should not happen in what he described as the free world.

Earlier in the week, he said he spent days speaking with venues to find a solution before Macklemore was ultimately removed from the tour.

Sheeran has previously maintained that the decision was not his and that responsibility rested with the tour promoter.

Despite a long-standing reluctance to comment publicly on political issues, Sheeran said the conflict had become impossible for him to ignore.

He described the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the Nova Music Festival as "horrific" and said it compounded centuries of Jewish suffering.

Turning to Gaza, he said: "What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate."

He also referenced conditions in the West Bank, saying "the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked."

Sheeran framed the conflict as a humanitarian issue rather than a political one and said his views stem from concern over civilian deaths and human suffering.

The tour controversy intensified after Macklemore's removal prompted a series of withdrawals from musicians scheduled to perform with Sheeran.

Irish folk group Beoga, who had appeared during several dates on the Loop Tour, stepped away in solidarity with Macklemore.

Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe later withdrew as well.

Finneas, the songwriter and producer best known for his work with sister Billie Eilish, also pulled out of plans to join Sheeran for South American dates later this year.

As a result, Sheeran opened Saturday's concert without an opening act before being joined by additional musicians later in the evening.

The controversy also played out beyond the stadium.

A small group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the venue before the concert. Among them was Hillary Steinberg, who said she had purchased tickets a year earlier but chose to seek a refund and attend the protest instead.

Steinberg said she believed art and music are inherently political and expressed disappointment that Sheeran had not taken a stronger position.

Diane Savitz, who attended the concert after buying tickets months ago, said she believed music should bring people together and that political debates did not belong at live performances.

Macklemore announced this week that he would donate $1 million toward Palestinian relief efforts and challenged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to match the contribution.

A spokesperson for Kraft said both Kraft and Sheeran had agreed to donate $2 million each, though details about where the funds would be directed have not been disclosed.

During his speech, Sheeran said he is speaking with people across a range of perspectives to determine how he can help victims affected by the conflict.

"I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times," he told the crowd.

The debate surrounding Macklemore's removal from the tour has also extended beyond the music industry. Children's entertainer Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, announced she would match Macklemore's $1 million donation to organizations supporting Palestinians. Irish rap trio Kneecap voiced support for the rapper, while actress Hannah Einbinder shared posts criticizing the decision.

In an Instagram post, Accurso said she was inviting "every wealthy white celebrity" to do the same and argued that public figures have a responsibility to use their platforms to advocate for children affected by war.

Sheeran's handling of the controversy has sparked reactions from musicians, actors, politicians and media personalities. Irish rap trio Kneecap voiced support for the rapper, while actress Hannah Einbinder shared posts criticizing the decision.

Broadcaster Piers Morgan said he agreed with Sheeran's description of both the October 7 attack and the humanitarian toll in Gaza, but questioned whether the singer should have felt compelled to address the issue publicly. In a post on X on Sunday, Morgan wrote that he wished Sheeran "hadn't bowed to the mob and felt forced to say it publicly," adding that the singer "needs better advisors."

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez framed the dispute as a broader debate over whether powerful interests can influence which viewpoints artists are allowed to express, arguing the controversy now extends far beyond either performer.

"It's become clear that this is not just about one music artist or two music artists, but this is about how just a handful of stadium owners and the elite can prevent an entire massive issue, in this case, the genocide in Gaza, but it doesn't stop there," she said in an interview with TMZ.

Others defended the decision to remove Macklemore or criticized his remarks. The Israeli American Council, which launched a petition calling for his removal, argued that concertgoers should not be subjected to political activism during a performance.

Advocacy group StopAntisemitism also supported the move, while blues-rock musician Joe Bonamassa wrote on social media that opening acts should not use another artist's tour as a platform for political statements.

Update, 9/20/2026, 6:56 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.

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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Megan Cartwright and Cristina Diciu.