Ed Sheeran has received unexpected support from one of the artists who withdrew from his LOOP Tour amid the fallout over Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” speech.
Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe defended Sheeran in an impassioned Instagram video posted Friday, urging critics to direct their anger elsewhere.
Rowe’s comments came as a surprise because he was among the opening acts who left the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
Macklemore, 43, was removed from the remaining dates after using his opening performance at MetLife Stadium earlier this month to make pro-Palestinian remarks and lead the crowd in a “Free Palestine” chant.
But Rowe said Sheeran, 35, should not be the target of online outrage or criticism over the controversy, including mockery surrounding ticket sales. Instead, he pointed to New England Patriots owner and stadium executive Robert Kraft as the person critics should be challenging.
“Not f***ing Ed Sheeran, for f***’s sake,” Rowe said, insisting that public anger should be focused on Kraft.
Ed Sheeran has found support from Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, even though Rowe was among the opening acts who withdrew from the LOOP Tour after backlash over Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” speech. Above, Rowe performs at the All Together Now Festival in Ireland in 2025
Rowe argued that Sheeran, 35, should not be the focus of the backlash and identified New England Patriots owner and stadium executive Robert Kraft as the person critics should confront. Above, Sheeran attends a benefit gala in New York City in 2024
“I’m gonna be honest. I think you are all focusing on the wrong person here,” Rowe said. “All I keep hearing is Ed Sheeran this, Ed Sheeran that — when you really should be focusing on the likes of Robert Kraft. You really should be focusing on the Zionist lobbies that are trying to silence the voices of people who are shouting about genocide, the genocide that is happening in Palestine right now by Israel.”
Sheeran addressed Macklemore’s departure in a statement posted Tuesday. He said the decision was made by the promoter, with pressure from Kraft, 85, who had barred Macklemore from appearing at Gillette Stadium.
Rowe acknowledged that Sheeran’s explanation “could have been a lot better.”
“I haven’t had a chance to f***ing talk to Ed too much, but I fully believe he knows that was a mistake,” Rowe said. He also maintained that the artists involved in the tour lineup supported Palestinians.
“Like, if Ed Sheeran was a f***ing Zionist, why would he have all these f***ing people on the f***ing tour?”
Rowe also criticized Ireland, other governments, the media and the broader music business, accusing them of failing to respond meaningfully to the conflict.
He argued that powerful institutions possess “so much money and so much power” that they can effectively suppress opinions they oppose.
“You should be using this opportunity to plaster Robert Kraft’s face everywhere, someone who tried to shut down free speech, someone who tried to silence the voices of people who are shouting out genocide,” Rowe said.
“I haven’t had a chance to f***ing talk to Ed too much, but I fully believe he knows that was a mistake,” Rowe said. Above, Sheeran performs with Macklemore at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas
The controversy began after Macklemore used his opening set to deliver a political speech and lead a “Free Palestine” chant, resulting in his removal from the rest of Sheeran’s LOOP Tour. Above, Macklemore performs at the Goldencoast Rap Festival in France on August 30
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, has continued to defend his pro-Palestinian views. Above, the rapper visits SiriusXM Studios in New York City in 2023
“That’s what you should be using your energy on, not f***ing Ed Sheeran, for f***’s sake.”
Sheeran’s concert this Saturday at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field is his first gig since Macklemore was officially booted from the tour on Monday.
The controversy has taken a heavy toll on ticket sales.
Hours before showtime, hundreds of tickets are still available for purchase at significantly reduced prices.
In another humiliating blow, Sheeran changed the start time of his Saturday concert with the assumption being he couldn’t find anyone else to open for him.
The concert was originally set to start at 5:30pm with opening acts and Sheeran going on at 8pm.
Now the concert start time has been moved back to 8pm, when Sheeran will take the stage.
The drama started when Macklemore used his opening set to chant ‘Free Palestine’ and deliver a politically motivated speech.
The escalating controversy has taken a heavy toll on ticket sales ahead of Sheeran’s Philadelphia concert on Saturday night. Above, Sheeran in 2025 during the iHeartRadio z100’s Jingle Ball
He was the opening act for Sheeran’s LOOP Tour on two consecutive nights, September 4 and September 5, at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
Macklemore – real name Benjamin Hammond Haggerty – stated that every human being deserves the same freedom, and told the crowd he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten.
He then performed his protest song Hind’s Hall while images of the devastation in Gaza were projected on the big screens at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Macklemore also faced a boycott petition calling for his removal from Sheeran’s tour for the blunt and direct language he used onstage.
As seen in fan-taken footage, he wore a keffiyeh at one point during his set.
The Israeli-American Council drew up a petition insisting he should be dropped from the remaining dates of Sheeran’s tour.
Our News Outlet has reached out to representatives for Macklemore and Sheeran for comment but has yet to hear back.
