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Ed Sheeran's tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore
NPR ^ | September 16, 2026

Posted on 09/16/2026 8:10:11 AM PDT by nickcarraway

Ed Sheeran's tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore

NEW YORK — Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America was plunged into chaos Tuesday when four of his supporting acts abruptly quit in solidarity with the rapper Macklemore, who was dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments onstage.

Hours after Sheeran posted on social media about Macklemore's ouster and attributed the decision to the tour's promoters, Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, the Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas posted on Instagram that they were leaving the tour.

Rowe and Lukas Graham would have been replacements for Macklemore on Sheeran's remaining U.S. dates, while Beoga had been performing several songs — including some the Irish folk band co-wrote — with Sheeran around the middle of each set. Finneas, who is Billie Eilish's brother and musical collaborator, was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year.

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"Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed," Finneas said on Instagram. "I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people."

(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Israel; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:
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1 posted on 09/16/2026 8:10:11 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Well, bye.


2 posted on 09/16/2026 8:11:11 AM PDT by crusty old prospector
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To: nickcarraway

Is it a music tour or a political tour?
I am sure there are pllenty more who will gladly fill in


3 posted on 09/16/2026 8:11:37 AM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing obamacare is worse than obamacare itself.)
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To: nickcarraway

FAFO


4 posted on 09/16/2026 8:12:04 AM PDT by Hildy
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To: Hildy

So you think Ed Sheeran’s the bad guy for not allowing his racism?


5 posted on 09/16/2026 8:13:50 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
Sounds like Ed Sheeran needs a better set of touring mates...


6 posted on 09/16/2026 8:13:53 AM PDT by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
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To: nickcarraway

No one cares about opening acts. That’s not why they buy tickets. Ed is fine.


7 posted on 09/16/2026 8:14:48 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Some people want to control their own life, others want to control the lives of others. )
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To: nickcarraway

8 posted on 09/16/2026 8:15:02 AM PDT by Red Badger (Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
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To: Hildy

Will this impact Sheeran’s ‘Jews Are The Problem ‘ world tour?


9 posted on 09/16/2026 8:15:54 AM PDT by MMusson ( )
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To: nickcarraway

Just like immigration, where no Muslim countries take “refugees” from other Muslim lands

Palestinians are the adopted children of western leftists. There aren’t a lot of Arab nations rushing to their aid.

weird.


10 posted on 09/16/2026 8:18:01 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: nickcarraway

Feuilleton.

This is the kind of problem you worry about after you’ve solved the problems of government fraud, how to expand AI, along with China, Iran, and militant Islam at home and overseas. Meaning you don’t worry about it.


11 posted on 09/16/2026 8:18:11 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: nickcarraway

Whoop-ti-do.

If he was smart he would have the Celtic Women. That said, they have a large stage set-up and stuff.


12 posted on 09/16/2026 8:19:03 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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To: ClearCase_guy

Well, it’s his backing band too.


13 posted on 09/16/2026 8:19:17 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Who?


14 posted on 09/16/2026 8:23:56 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to says it.)
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To: nickcarraway

The band is a business. Anyone taking actions to adversely affect revenue should be fired. A touring band and a hotdog stand are no different in this regard.

Shut up and sing…


15 posted on 09/16/2026 8:27:52 AM PDT by Made In The USA (One and Two and Three and Four and)
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To: nickcarraway

What is a Macklamore?


16 posted on 09/16/2026 8:28:52 AM PDT by Hyman Roth
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To: PGR88

Yup, and it’s ultimately about Islam. For communist America-hating traitors. They prefer Islam because it’s polar opposite of anything America stood for. They use Palestinian as a stand-in for in reality, protecting Moslems.

Yet, they never notice how their fellow Moslems have NEVER stepped in to either fight, or adopt them into their borders. Decades of this, but not once.

Which means they hope it will lead to Moslems takeover of Israel, and they can claim their hands are clean.


17 posted on 09/16/2026 8:30:22 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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To: nickcarraway

What a turd the music biz is today.


18 posted on 09/16/2026 8:31:40 AM PDT by toddausauras (47 47 47 )
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To: Made In The USA

Ed Sheeran doesn’t need much hired help to sell out a stadium. In one youtube video he was on stage alone. Only a few invisible sound technicians to do the backup work. I was surprised as I never heard of him at the time.


19 posted on 09/16/2026 8:33:13 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: nickcarraway
Good luck finding new touring lead acts to host these bands in the future.

-PJ

20 posted on 09/16/2026 8:34:43 AM PDT by Political Junkie Too ( * LAAP = Left-wing Activist Agitprop Press (formerly known as the MSM))
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