Alexandre Silberman, Daniela Ramirez
Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran took the stage at a Philadelphia stadium Saturday night and addressed the controversy over rapper Macklemore's removal from his tour.
"I'm used to my music being criticized," Sheeran said to the crowd at his first show since Macklemore was dropped over pro-Palestinian comments. "But this week, the criticism was about something much more important, and I've had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I'm so, so sorry."
He said he's never wanted to be "an activist musician" and said this incident has put him "in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet."
Sheeran called what is happening in Gaza "catastrophic and unjustifiable."
"My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives, of children's lives," Sheeran said. "And the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked."
He said he has been speaking to people across the political spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps the victims, admitting he does not know enough about it.
He added that he wants his music and shows to be about unity and humanity, not politics, and said he wants his concerts to be a place where everyone is welcome and can stand beside people with opposing views and just enjoy the music.
Protesters outside
Pro-Palestinian activists had gathered Saturday near Lincoln Financial Field ahead of the show in support of both the Palestinian people and free speech.
Sheeran was alone on stage after his backing band and all of his remaining supporting acts quit his tour in solidarity earlier this week. Sheeran had attributed Macklemore's removal solely to venues and promoters while defending his decision to remain apolitical.
Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who allegedly led efforts to remove Macklemore as Sheeran's opening act, said Wednesday he is now donating $2 million US to "aid in the region" at the singer-songwriter's request.
Ticket prices sag
Tickets for the show were still available for as low as $37 US on Saturday, and Sheeran's website did not list any replacement acts.
Macklemore was dropped from the U.S. leg of Sheeran's tour after chanting "Free Palestine" and expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank during a Sept. 5 show in New Jersey.
Philadelphia resident Hillary Steinberg says she bought her tickets for tonight's show a year ago when Sheeran's Loop tour was first announced. But she decided not to go when Macklemore was dropped because she doesn't support "big money dictating what artists can and can't say."
Steinberg says she is no longer a Sheeran fan and doesn't agree with his decision to not stand with his fellow artists, calling it a "betrayal."
"I don't believe anything is without politics," she said.
Sheeran fan Christina White says she doesn't like that Macklemore got kicked off the bill for speaking out, but that she's still attending the show. She said thinks it's "a shame" that Sheeran got stuck in the middle of the controversy.
"You come here to see the music," she said. "I don't agree with everything everyone says, but if I like their music, I'm going to come anyway."
For Susan Shulman, there were two reasons to be outside the concert venue Saturday.
"On top of the issue of Palestine, there's the issue of free speech," she said referring to Macklemore's comments, which she described as "very benign."
"And the fact that somebody with a lot of power and money was able to shut that down is just appalling and unfair."
Sheeran said venues had threatened to pull his upcoming performances if Macklemore was not removed as his opening act because of "how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance." He said the decision to remove him was the promoter's, not his.
On stage Saturday, he said, "I am deeply worried about the idea that venues pre-approve content for performers. This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world."
Kraft, who owns the New England Patriots, was one of the people behind the call for Macklemore's removal, Sheeran confirmed.
Kraft, a staunch supporter of Israel, said in a statement shared with CBC News Monday that his stadium would "not provide a platform for hate speech," stating Macklemore spread divisiveness through "selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas."
Macklemore had blamed his removal on Kraft in an Instagram post, claiming the billionaire said the rapper would not be allowed onstage and rallied other stadium owners to threaten to cancel scheduled concerts if he was not taken off the bill. The threats placed Sheeran, his friend, in a difficult position, Macklemore said.
Sheeran takes apolitical stance
Many of Sheeran's supporting acts said they were withdrawing from his tour to stand in solidarity with Palestinians.
In his statement, Sheeran said he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine," and called the suffering on "both sides" a "human tragedy."
But he defended his choice not to express his views on the conflict publicly.
"I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict," he wrote.
"Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn't mean I don't have them, and it doesn't mean I don't care."
While promoters and venues wield great power over concert tours, experts say an artist of Sheeran's magnitude generally has the final say about what happens concerning the shows.
Sheeran has performed much of his Loop Tour concerts solo, but he had been joined for several songs at each stop by the Irish folk band Beoga.
Sheeran's other U.S. openers, Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe, also annouced they were leaving the tour.
Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother and musical collaborator, was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year before he too dropped out earlier this week.
With files from The Associated Press and Alexandra Mae Jones
