Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy surrounding his Loop Tour during a solo performance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday night, telling fans he was “so, so sorry” over the difficult decisions made in recent days.
The concert was the 35-year-old singer’s first since Macklemore was removed from the tour following pro-Palestine comments made during the previous stop at MetLife Stadium earlier this month. The show began later than planned after the opening acts and Sheeran’s backing band also withdrew.
Sheeran told the audience he was accustomed to criticism of his music, but said the latest dispute concerned “something much more important”.
“I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry,” he said.
He said he had never wanted to be “an activist musician”, but had found himself drawn into a debate over freedom of speech and the conflict involving Israel and Palestine.
“My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me,” Sheeran said. “Honouring my commitment to my fans is also completely central to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.”
Sheeran also expressed concern about venues pre-approving material for performances, saying this happened in places where he performed around the world but “should never happen in the free world”.
He said the events of October 7 at the No Music Festival in Israel had compounded “centuries of Jewish pain”, while describing the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate”. He also condemned the scale of civilian deaths and said the “systemic injustice” in the West Bank could not be overlooked.
“I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times, and listening and learning because I do not know enough,” he said.
Sheeran told fans that the concert could bring together people with opposing views, saying the songs were about “love, hope and unity”.
Earlier in the week, he said Macklemore’s removal from the tour had not been his decision. Macklemore subsequently announced that he would donate his entire one million dollar tour salary to support Palestinian people.
Robert Kraft also said he had received a call from Sheeran asking him to commit two million dollars to match the donation and aid people affected by the humanitarian crisis in the region.
