Ed Sheeran has continued to face intense scrutiny over the axing of his support act Macklemore earlier this month, with the British singer-songwriter’s fans telling The Independent that “it’s been a hugely difficult time” for the community.
Macklemore was dropped from the US leg of Sheeran’s ongoing Loop tour, allegedly at the behest of Robert Kraft – the billionaire CEO of Kraft Group, which owns Gillette Stadium – due to the “Thrift Shop” rapper’s onstage statements in support of Palestine.
After Macklemore was dropped, the four other acts supporting Sheeran on his tour (Aaron Rowe, the Danish band Lukas Graham, Finneas, and Sheeran’s Irish backing band Beoga) also quit the tour in solidarity.
Sheeran addressed the backlash during a performance at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, reading a prepared statement from a teleprompter. “I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes,” he said. “I’m so, so sorry. I don’t want to disappoint fans. I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.”
He continued: “What happened in Israel, and at the music festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilian loss and loss of children’s lives. And the systemic injustice we’re seeing unfolding in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”
Responses from Sheeran’s fans have largely emphasised a support of the singer, despite criticism from figures such as Charlotte Church and Roger Waters over his decision to persevere with the tour without Macklemore.
“It’s been a hugely difficult time for everyone,” Kristen, a longtime Sheeran fan who runs a fan page with 66,000 followers, told The Independent. “Of course our community is made up from people across the spectrum of political views and beliefs. We aren’t in a community because of politics, we’re here because we love Ed.”
“There have been a lot of difficult conversations being had between friends,” she continued. “Some find disappointment in Ed’s decision, but the overwhelming majority have been pleased to see him stand his ground.”
She added that Sheeran has “never been one for big political statements”, but is “quietly supporting things important to him”.
“You don't need to shout to be heard. Those demanding he do so may stand to take a look at how often they're shouting and what effect its having,” she added. “Why is it OK to disregard all of this good work Ed’s done based off one immensely difficult decision that he was forced to make?”
Danielle, another Sheeran follower who runs a popular fan account on Instagram, wrote: “I am not going to pretend I know exactly what [Sheeran] thinks, feels, fears, or carries privately. I don’t.
“But I also refuse to reduce a whole human being into a cartoonish villain because a complicated situation does not fit neatly into the response somebody wanted from him.
“As we know Ed has been doing tons of the work behind the scenes. Last time I checked those who make a change quietly are just as important as those who feel led to be loud, or flip the tables. You can care deeply about people who are suffering, demand better from the world and be furious at injustice. All while still leaving room for nuance, boundaries, mental health, safety, and humanity.”
Those attending Sheeran’s recent gig in Philadelphia echoed this statement, with concertgoer James Webber telling PA: “Everything will be fine. In a couple of months this will blow over. He doesn’t deserve this. I think he did the right thing, staying true to what he believes and the fans will support him.”
There are, however, others within the fan community who have taken different stances in the wake of the controversy. This month, Sheeran has lost around 500,000 followers on Instagram – just over 1 per cent of his total Instagram following – bringing his total follower count to 47.2 million.
Forums, including the Ed Sheeran subreddit, are also filled with questions about how to get refunds and re-sell tickets to his forthcoming Loop Tour dates – some of which allude to the Macklemore controversy as a reason.
Despite speculation that Sheeran could abandon his tour, the “A Team” songwriter now looks likely to complete the North American leg of his tour, which concludes in November before moving on to South America.
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