Billie Eilish’s brother Finneas speaks out after Ed Sheeran’s support acts quit in solidarity with Macklemore

All four of Ed Sheeran’s support acts on his US tour have dropped out in solidarity with Macklemore, who was removed from the remaining dates over comments he made about Gaza.

Irish singer Aaron Rowe, American musician Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother, Lukas Graham, and Irish band Beoga all announced in the last 24 hours that they would no longer be taking part in the British singer’s tour.

The 43-year-old American rapper has been friends with Sheeran for 14 years, and was selected to open for him during his Loop tour.

During a show at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last week, Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, used the platform to draw attention to the atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, telling the crowd: “Free Palestine.”

He also performed his protest song 'Hind's Hall' while images relating to the destruction in Gaza were shown on the stadium screens.

This led to a petition demanding he be removed from the remaining dates, and on Monday (14 September), he posted on Instagram confirming that Sheeran and his team had ‘made the decision to remove’ him from the tour.

He wrote that he, Sheeran, and the singer Pink, who also got involved and spoke out against Macklemore’s comments, are ‘not victims’ as they have ‘careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world’ and ‘whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families’.

In a response on Tuesday (15 September), Sheeran said his departure from the tour was the promoter’s decision and not his.

He said that ‘upcoming tour dates had communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting’ and claimed that Robert Kraft, owner of the Gillette Stadium where he was due to play, was among them.

Sheeran said: “I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. 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.

"Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own personal way.”

Sheeran added that he was ‘appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine,’ and added he respected Macklemore ‘as an artist’.

As we say, though, this was seemingly not good enough for the other support acts, who have publicly dropped out.

Finneas speaks out about pulling out from Ed Sheeran's tour

Billie Eilish’s brother Finneas said in a statement on Instagram: “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran.

“I stand with Palestine and its people.”

Aaron Rowe's statement on dropping out

Aaron Rowe also quit, writing on social media: “I have made the decision to withdraw as a support act for Ed Sheeran’s ‘The Loop’ North American Tour. I don’t take the decision lightly. Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this.”

He continued: “But as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.

“I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children. I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.

“I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonisation, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland.”

Lukas Graham says 'we should be able to speak about war'

Meanwhile, Lukas Graham penned in his own statement that it’s ‘hard to watch families in other parts of the world burying the people they love’ and urged that ‘we should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them’.

He wrote: “I grew up in Christiania, a small community in Denmark where speaking your mind was part of everyday life. Having more money didn’t make your opinion worth more than anyone else’s.

“Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.”

The singer continued: “I love Ed, and i’m grateful for everything we’ve shared. That hasn’t changed. But I can’t put these words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand. We’re withdrawing from the remaining dates.

“I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision, but it’s one I need to stand by.”

Beoga's words on pulling out of the tour

Finally, in another lengthy statement, Beoga wrote: “We are a traditional Irish band who never saw ourselves playing in stadiums of that size and that opportunity is not lost on us.

“We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people.”

They added: "We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be.

"This whole episode is once again serving to distract from the real issue; over 1000 Palestinians have been killed since the recent so-called ceasefire."

Tyla has contacted a representative for Ed Sheeran for comment.