{"id":898679,"date":"2026-09-20T08:02:25","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T08:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/898679\/"},"modified":"2026-09-20T08:02:25","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T08:02:25","slug":"ed-sheeran-gives-speech-before-first-concert-back-since-drama-erupted-apologises-for-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/898679\/","title":{"rendered":"Ed Sheeran gives speech before first concert back since drama erupted, apologises for \u2018mistakes\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

In his first concert since drama erupted after Macklemore was dropped from his tour, Ed Sheeran has apologised to fans.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, the American rapper was removed from Sheeran\u2019s Loop tour after saying \u201cFree Palestine\u201d during a September 4 performance at New Jersey\u2019s MetLife Stadium.<\/p>\n

Since then, support acts and Sheeran\u2019s own band quit the tour, his music was pulled from an Irish radio station, his cousin called him a \u201ccoward\u201d, and he has been the centre of discussions across the globe.<\/p>\n

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On Saturday night, local time, Sheeran told audiences at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia that he was used to copping criticism for his music, which did not bother him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this week, the criticism was about something much more important, and I\u2019ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I\u2019m so, so sorry,\u201d he said at the beginning of the show.<\/p>\n

He said he \u201cdidn\u2019t want to disaapoint fans\u201d and that he had never wanted to be \u201can activist musician\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"MacklemoreMacklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran\u2019s Loop tour. Credit: Ethan Miller\/Getty Images North America<\/p>\n

\u201cThis 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,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am, and that is why I\u2019m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approve content of a performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheeran then \u2014 for the first time and after earlier this week saying he was apolitical \u2014 explained his stance on the war.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to address the question of where I stand on the situation in Israel and Palestine, and whether my doing this concert here tonight implies where I stand,\u201d he told the stadium.<\/p>\n

\"PalestinianPalestinian artists put the finishing touches on a mural depicting American rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes destroyed by the Israeli army in Gaza City Credit: NurPhoto\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cI have tried in my career to not be a political commentator at any time, because I want my shows to be about unity, not division, and humanity, not politics.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this is a humanitarian issue, and I can\u2019t hide how I feel about it anymore.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened in Israel at Nova Music Festival on October seven was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hearts have been broken by the scale and devastation and loss of civilian\u2019s lives, of children\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the systemic injustice we\u2019re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four-time Grammy winner said he was \u201cspeaking to people across the spectrum\u201d in attempt to learn more and find a way to meaningfully contribute to victims.<\/p>\n

Sheeran added that he was \u201clistening and learning because I don\u2019t know enough\u201d.<\/p>\n

He concluded the speech by saying, through tears, that he was grateful to those who had attended the concert, despite there being no support act.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis concert is still a place where everyone is welcome, and everyone here can stand beside people that have opposing views, and everyone here can stand by people they don\u2019t agree with on everything,\u201d Sheeran said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they can all agree on singing these songs, and these songs are about love, hope and unity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Ed took to the stage, about 50 pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied outside the venue.<\/p>\n

\"Pro-PalestinianPro-Palestinian demonstrators gather outside the Ed Sheeran concert. Credit: Robyn Stevens Brody\/Sipa USA<\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, Sheeran insisted the decision to drop Macklemore was not his.<\/p>\n

\u201cMacklemore coming off tour was the promoter\u2019s decision, it was not mine,\u201d Ed wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n

\u201cMacklemore\u2019s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said stadium owner Robert Kraft objected to what he described as \u201chate speech\u201d, with other venues subsequently following suit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict,\u201d Ed said.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t have them, and it doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t care. Nor does it mean I don\u2019t support causes in my own, personal way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Macklemore acknowledged that taking a public position could come at a significant professional price.<\/p>\n

\u201cTaking a side can cost you,\u201d he wrote on social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoney, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I\u2019ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other supporting acts have since pulled out, while some fans are attempting to resell tickets or seek refunds.<\/p>\n

\"MacklemoreMacklemore has donated $1 million to charities benefiting Gaza and Palestine. Credit: Kieran Frost\/Redferns<\/p>\n

Sheeran\u2019s Instagram followers have fallen by at least 300,000.<\/p>\n

Macklemore said on Wednesday he was donating $US1 million ($A1.4 million) to support Palestinian relief efforts and called on Kraft to match the gift; a spokesperson for Kraft has said the billionaire and Sheeran have each agreed to donate $US2 million ($A2.8 million) but have not specified where the money will be directed.<\/p>\n

Sheeran\u2019s Loop Tour was the highest-grossing in the world, with an average box office gross of over $US7 million ($A9.8 million) per city, Pollstar said in May. Through the end of 2025, Sheeran was the No. 3 top-earning concert act since 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In his first concert since drama erupted after Macklemore was dropped from his tour, Ed Sheeran has apologised…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":898680,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[64,63,2331,134,136],"class_list":["post-898679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-culture","tag-entertainment","tag-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=898679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/898680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=898679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=898679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=898679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}