Celebrities on both sides of the political divide are speaking up about the chaos that’s engulfed singer Ed Sheeran’s US stadium tour, after the star lost all his support acts and his own backing band in protest over the treatment of rapper Macklemore.
Macklemore had earlier been axed from the tour for expressing pro-Palestine sentiments onstage – a decision Sheeran washed his hands of in a statement that was met with a decidedly mixed reaction this week.
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Sheeran appears to be moving ahead with the tour, which still has 10 dates left, the next this weekend in Philadelphia. That’s despite Macklemore being axed, and then in quick succession, his three remaining support acts and his own band quitting out of protest.
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One rocker who didn’t mince words about Sheeran: Pink Floyd legend Roger Waters, who posted a short-but-fiery video on Instagram making his feelings more than clear. Waters, who has long been a vocal supporter of Palestine, even tagged Sheeran into the post.
“I just have a little message for [Sheeran],” Waters added. “There are two kinds of people in this world. There’s people who do the right thing – the rapper Macklemore would be one of those people.
“And there’s people – many of them, sadly – little f … excuse me, I nearly used the F-word then … pricks like you who do the wrong thing. Goodbye.”
Another British music star to denounce Sheeran was singer-songwriter Paloma Faith, who gave a UK television interview in which she questioned the star’s insistence that he and his music should remain apolitical.
“I did play at a concert with Ed Sheeran to raise money for Ukraine, so he wasn’t apolitical by doing that. I don’t really understand why one felt more political than the other,” she argued.
She also called on Sheeran to quit his tour.
“I think what Ed Sheeran’s learning the hard way is that it’s impossible to be at that kind of level and think that you can stay out of politics because being apolitical is a political act in itself,” Faith continued.
But Faith’s interview with Channel 4 News also courted controversy, as she claimed that she says “Free Palestine” to her three children, aged 9, 5 and six months, every night. Some on social media accused the star of “brainwashing” her children.
One artist who has been vocal in his support of Sheeran is 80s icon and sometime The Voice coach Boy George, who has made headlines in recent years for his public support of Israel.
But in his rush to support Sheeran on social media, George has fallen for a couple of hoaxes in recent days: First, a fake tweet claiming that Sheeran had enlisted 2018 Israeli Eurovision winner Netta as his new support act, which got an enthusiastic endorsement from Boy George.
Then, he fell for a 2022 clip of Sheeran performing solo on stage, which was being passed off as new footage of the singer forging ahead with his tour after the mass quitting of his supports and band.
“Well done to @edsheeran for going on stage with his guitar and proving that he can perform solo,” he wrote.
George also voiced his opinion on Paloma Faith after her interview: “All the usual subjects have popped up on TV to have their say. Each one more dumb than the last. Faithless Paloma telling us she whispers ‘free Palestine’ into her kids ears before they sleep. Now that’s radical!”
Closer to home, Australian former test cricketer Usman Khawaja also weighed in on the debate, and in the process came out as a Pink fan.
The sporting legend posted a video on his Instagram account yesterday arguing that politics has always been a part of music, from Bob Dylan, to Green Day, to Pink – who some could argue kick-started this entire controversy when she released a lengthy statement against Macklemore a week ago.
“You know what, I went to a Pink concert – don’t judge me, it was a long time ago – but [Pink’s war protest song] Dear Mr President absolutely blew the roof off. Everyone singing it, mothers, daughters, sons, dad, everyone, as loud as they could,” he said.
Meanwhile, the war of words between Macklemore and Sheeran this week has turned financial, after Macklemore declared he would donate $1 million $1 million in net earnings he received from the tour to organisations working to support the Palestinian people, and invited billionaire Robert Kraft to match his donation.
Stadium owner Kraft was reportedly behind Macklemore’s axing from the tour, banning the rapper from performing in his venues.
“Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed [Sheeran] called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis,” Kraft announced.
“Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.”
Mr Kraft’s statement came after he had extended an olive branch to Macklemore on Tuesday, saying he would “welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts”.
“Ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate,” he said.
