Aaron Rowe explains why he still defends Ed Sheeran after Macklemore's exit

Washington [US], September 20 : Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe has defended Ed Sheeran over the removal of Macklemore from Sheeran’s Loop Tour, calling the decision a “human f****** error” and arguing that public criticism has been directed at the wrong person.
Rowe, who himself dropped out of the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, made the comments in a video posted to his Instagram on Friday.
He said Sheeran’s team appeared to have panicked amid pressure surrounding Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” remarks and the subsequent fallout.
“I think you are all focusing on the wrong person here. All I keep hearing is Ed Sheeran this, Ed Sheeran that. When you really should be focusing on the likes of Robert Kraft,” Rowe said in a video posted to his Instagram account on Friday.
He went on to accuse Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium, of attempting to silence free speech over the Israel-Hamas conflict. Rowe also criticised what he described as efforts to silence artists speaking about the situation in Palestine.
Rowe said he believed Macklemore should not have been removed from the tour, but argued that the decision involving Sheeran was the result of panic rather than hostility.
“Look, I know Ed’s statement could have been a lot better, and I do think that Macklemore shouldn’t have been pulled off the tour. I fully believe it was panic station over there, and they rushed the decision because they didn’t know what to f******* do because they were getting it from all angles. That’s a mistake… I haven’t had a chance to talk to Ed too much, but I fully believe he knows that was a mistake,” Rowe said.
Rowe also pointed to Sheeran’s opening lineup as evidence that the singer did not share the views critics have attributed to him. The lineup included Macklemore, Rowe and Irish group Beoga, whom Rowe described as strongly supportive of Palestine.
The controversy began after Macklemore made “Free Palestine” remarks on stage at MetLife Stadium, as per Variety.
Following an ultimatum involving the venue and Kraft, promoter Messina Touring Group removed Macklemore from the lineup. Sheeran subsequently said the final decision had been made by promoters and venues rather than by him personally.
After Macklemore’s removal, the other opening acts, including Rowe, Finneas, Lukas Graham and Beoga, dropped out of the tour. Sheeran subsequently resumed his tour dates without opening acts.
Despite his decision to leave, Rowe again stressed his personal regard for Sheeran, recalling the impact the singer had had on his career.
Rowe concluded by reiterating his criticism of Kraft and urging people to focus their attention on what he described as attempts to restrict free speech, rather than solely on Sheeran.
He said, “You should be using this opportunity to plaster Robert Kraft’s face everywhere. Someone who tried to shut down free speech. Someone who tried to silence the voices of people who are shouting about genocide...”
Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran has also addressed the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from his Loop Tour during his first concert since the rapper was dropped from the remaining US dates, saying he could no longer “hide” how he feels about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Speaking at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Sheeran told the audience that the past week had forced him to make “difficult decisions” while placing him in the middle of a debate over freedom of speech and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
In a video shared on his Instagram handle, he could be seen sharing his thoughts with the audience.
He said, "I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,” Sheeran said.
He added that his concerts have always been intended as “a safe space for everyone” and explained why he continued the tour after Macklemore’s departure.
“Honouring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour,” he said.
Sheeran, who had previously described the Israel-Palestine conflict as a “human tragedy”, spoke more directly about the issue during Saturday’s performance.
“I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind, because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division,” he said, adding, “But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.”
“What happened in Israel and at the Nome Museum Festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate,” Sheeran said.
He continued, “Our hearts can be 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.”
Sheeran also said he was speaking with people across different perspectives and seeking ways to help those affected.
“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.