SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Fans are left wondering what artist Ed Sheeran will do after losing the five opening acts of his “Loop Tour.” Sheeran parted ways with Macklemore as an opening act after Macklemore made a controversial statement.
What happened?
Macklemore took to the stage the weekend of Sept. 4 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and said this:
“I’ve been trying to figure out a way to say this all day. One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages and stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart. Free Palestine.”
This sparked a large reaction from the crowd, as well as fans on social media.
Sheeran was facing pressure from Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft. Kraft told Sheeran that if he kept Macklemore on the tour, he would no longer be able to play at Gillette Stadium. Kraft had also rallied other stadium owners and they too would not let Sheeran play at their venues had he kept Macklemore on the tour.
Professor J. Christopher Hamilton, who teaches classes in entertainment business and artist representation at the Newhouse School, said that it’s not uncommon for an artist to speak out about a public issue. However, this case is a little different.
A series of PR moves
Hamilton said the controversy reflects how difficult it can be for artists to address highly divisive issues publicly.
“There are certain issues, that are such a hot button issue, that there really isn’t a tolerance for those kinds of things…He’s talking about something extremely polarizing, extremely nuanced, that has people really worked up on both sides of the aisle.”
There is generally no rule about what an artist can or cannot say on stage during a performance. While private venues may have their own policies, no rule prevented Macklemore from making his statement. However, decisions about an artist’s participation in a tour ultimately rest with the promoter, which is why Macklemore was removed from the tour.
Hamilton also discussed how situations like this can play out from an artist-representation standpoint, saying Macklemore has an opportunity to either move away from the controversy or use it to draw attention to a cause.
“We can either leverage this opportunity, or diminish it,” Hamilton said. “If you want to diminish the focus, you’d issue a statement and no longer engage with the press on the topic. However, this is also an opportunity to elevate the discussion.”
What’s next?
With that, Macklemore announced the “Free Palestine Tour.” He will tour Oct. 26-30, and all proceeds will benefit “Organizations supporting Palestine and the Palestinian Movement.”
It is unclear yet what other artists Macklemore will perform with, but the announcement is set to come soon.