Hayley Williams has shown her support for the artists who dropped out of Ed Sheeran’s tour by including them in her pre-show playlist. The move comes as Sheeran’s upcoming ‘Loop’ shows face a significant void in opening acts following the departure of several high-profile musicians.
The controversy began when Macklemore was removed from the tour following an impassioned speech regarding the conflict in Palestine, delivered while opening for Sheeran at New Jersey’s Gillette Stadium. The speech prompted immediate backlash from various figures, including Pink and the Israeli American Council. Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft later confirmed that he found the remarks “deeply offensive,” which ultimately led to the rapper’s dismissal.
In the wake of this decision, a wave of solidarity emerged as other support acts and members of the backing band withdrew from the tour. Artists including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and the band Beoga all issued statements in support of Macklemore.
Williams demonstrated her own solidarity during her solo tour, ‘The Hayley Williams Show,’ at Forest Hills Stadium in New York. Her pre-show playlist featured tracks from the departed artists, including Macklemore’s ‘Can’t Hold Us’ and ‘Thrift Shop,’ Lukas Graham’s ‘Mama Said,’ Finneas’ ‘For Cryin’ Out Loud,’ Rowe’s ‘The Lane,’ and Beoga’s ‘Aurora II.’
Prior to this, Williams had shared a satirical social media post mocking Sheeran’s neutral stance on the situation. The post read: “Hey guys I’ve seen all the atrocities going on and I just want you to know I am keeping the conversation open by saying nothing. I am a role model (product) and it’s important that I don’t disappoint my young fans (investors and shareholders) by being political. My shows are something so much bigger than politics – they are commerce.”
Grandona sem medo!
Hayley Williams repostou um story debochando do pronunciamento de Ed Sheeran:
"ei pessoal eu vi todas as atrocidades que estão acontecendo e quero que vocês saibam que estou mantendo essa discussão ABERTA dizendo NADA. sou um modelo a ser seguido (produto) e… pic.twitter.com/DtFLZoINBF
— Paramore Brasil (@paramorebrasil) September 15, 2026
Sheeran has since addressed the controversy, stating he was “not complicit” and that he views the suffering caused by the conflict as a “tragedy.” While Sheeran has lost over 200,000 Instagram followers since the incident, Macklemore has seen a surge in support, gaining over 1.6 million followers. Other recent tour support acts, including BIIRD and Myles Smith, have also publicly aligned themselves with the rapper, citing the devastation of the ongoing conflict.
