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Steven J. Horowitz
Senior Music Writer
speriod See All
Columbia Records Singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe has dropped out as an opener on the North American leg of Ed Sheeran‘s Loop tour after fellow supporting act Macklemore was dismissed for voicing his support for Palestine.
In a post on Instagram, the Irish musician also expressed his support for Palestine while explaining why he decided to leave the trek. “I have made the decision to withdraw as a support act for Ed Sheeran’s ‘The Loop’ North American Tour,” he wrote. “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.
“But as Irish people,” he continued, “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.” He ended his note by declaring, “Free Palestine.”
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Rowe opened on the Australian leg of the Loop earlier this year and resumed as a supporting act in June for North American dates. Fellow opening act Lukas Graham remains on the bill for when the tour continues on September 19 in Philadelphia, while Finneas is slated to support South American shows in November.
In tandem with Rowe’s announcement, Irish band Beoga stated that they would also be departing the Loop tour. “We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be,” they said in a statement on social media. “We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people… 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.”
Rowe and Beoga’s exits come after Macklemore was kicked off the Loop tour following forceful “free Palestine” comments made while opening at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sept. 4 and 5. Macklemore released a statement on Monday in which he accused billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft of rallying fellow stadium owners to ban the rapper from the tour due to his comments.
Sheeran himself weighed in on Tuesday morning, explaining that he had nothing to do with the decision to eject Macklemore from the tour and that it had been at the discretion of the promoters and venues. He explained that he preferred to remain publicly neutral on political issues and that he is “not complicit” in doing so.
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