Ed Sheeran has revealed he questioned whether he would ever perform again after the fallout from Macklemore's departure from his world tour. The singer-songwriter apologised to fans after several supporting acts dropped out of The Loop tour following comments on Gaza.
Emotional apology at Philadelphia concert
Addressing the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia last night, Sheeran conceded he had made 'mistakes' while condemning the 'catastrophic' war in Gaza. He said: 'I really didn't know whether this tour would be carrying on. I really didn't know whether I'd be even getting on stage again, whether I even wanted to be an artist at all.'
'In these situations, you really find out who your friends are, and it's been a weird week. I just feel like it happened very quickly,' he added.
Sheeran's remarks on Israel and Gaza
Sheeran also addressed the broader conflict, saying: 'What happened in Israel and at the Nova 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 civilians' lives, children's lives. And the systemic injustice we are seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.'
Macklemore was removed from the tour after he called 'Free Palestine' during opening concerts and expressed support for Palestinians. Acts that backed out of the show in solidarity with the rapper include Aaron Rowe, Grammy award-winning musician and Billie Eilish's brother Finneas, Danish singer Lukas Graham, and Sheeran's backing band Beoga.
Fan reactions and protests
Several local fans came out to back the musician ahead of the show. James Webber IV from Scranton, Pennsylvania, said: 'I stand with Ed. I think there's a time for politics and a music concert is not one of those places.' Kassandra Rivera from Philadelphia commented: 'Everyone has their own opinion and it's fine.'
However, a small pro-Palestinian protest also took place outside the venue. One protester, Hillary Steinberg, said she had sent her tickets back, declaring 'all art is political'.
Tour continues despite controversy
Sheeran began The Loop tour in Auckland, New Zealand, and is set to play 16 shows across North and South America until December, when he will wrap up with a gig in Mexico City. The tour continues amid the controversy, with Sheeran's emotional apology marking a pivotal moment in his response to the fallout.
