Ed Sheeran makes emotional return to the stage amid Macklemore controversy

Ed Sheeran openly weeped during a passionate speech as he returned to the stage for his first concert since Macklemore was firing over a “Free Palestine” plea and the subsequent departures of the tour’s other openers.

As he walked out onto the stage at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia Saturday night to rapturous applause, the British singer said, “Um, this is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s OK if I say a few words about this last week.”

“I’m used to my music being criticized, and I’m always happy to take that, because I’m lucky a lot of you like my stuff and, to be honest, I’m not surprised that other people don’t. That’s normal,” he continued. “But this week, the criticism was about something much more important.”

“I am making mistakes,” Sheeran, 35, admitted, adding, “and I’m so, so sorry.”

Sheeran, 35, said he’s “never wanted to be an activist musician,” but that he’s found himself “in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,” referring to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“My 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. That is why I am here tonight, on my own, and continuing my current tour.”

Sheeran’s Philly concert Saturday saw the start time pushed back to 8 p.m. instead of 5:30 p.m. after he was left with no openers. Protesters also gathered near the venue ahead of the show.

The “Shape of You” singer said he is “deeply worried” about the idea that venues — and, by extension, those who them — can have a say over what performers do on the stage, saying, “This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.”

Addressing the Israel-Palestine situation head-on — including if Saturday’s concert moving ahead “implies” where he stands — Sheeran said he’s tried to avoid being “a political commentator of any kind” throughout his career because he wants his music and shows “to be about unity, not division” and “about humanity, not politics.”

“But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore,” he added, calling the Oct. 7 bombing of the Nova music festival in Israel “horrific” and a compounding of “centuries of Jewish pain,” while noting that what’s happening in Gaza “is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate” and that the events unfolding in the West Bank “cannot be overlooked.”

Sheeran said he’s navigating how he can best make an impact for victims while he continues “listening and learning, because [he does] not know enough.”

“I honestly am so grateful that you’re here tonight with me,” Sheeran concluded, getting emotional. “This 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’t agree with on everything — but they can all agree on singing these songs.”

Macklemore (born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty) was dropped from Sheeran’s Loop Tour on Sept. 14 following backlash over remarks he made during his set at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The “Thrift Shop” rapper, 43, called for a free Palestine and said he stood in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza who have been displaced and lack necessary resources amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” Macklemore said onstage.

“I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them,” he added.

Macklemore also performed his 2024 protest song “Hind’s Hall,” named after Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza.

His comments sparked backlash from pro-Israel groups, with singer Pink notably calling him out over the remarks.

Venues later notified tour promoter Messina Touring Group that they would not allow Macklemore to perform at upcoming US shows, Rolling Stone reported Monday.

“[This] would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” the promoter said in part in a statement to the outlet. “After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”

Macklemore was set to join Sheeran for eight of the 10 remaining North American concerts.

The “Can’t Hold Us” emcee addressed his firing from Sheeran’s tour on Instagram Monday, claiming he and Sheeran had a “painful disagreement” over his speech before Sheeran and his team ultimately decided to remove him from the tour.

He also noted that he and Sheeran have known each other for 13 years, having “shared late nights, studio sessions and stages.”

“I consider him a brother,” he wrote in part. “And because of that, we have had some difficult conversations this past week, the type of talks rooted in love and respect for one another that still end in a place of fundamental disagreement.”

Macklemore also claimed that Robert Kraft — the owner of the New England Patriots and the Kraft Group, which operates Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts — called Sheeran and said he “would not be allowed to perform” at the stadium later this month as planned.

He further claimed that Sheeran told him the words “Free Palestine,” as well as an image of the Palestinian flag, were “hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with.”

“I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood,” Macklemore wrote, claiming Sheeran “couldn’t get past his public-facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’”

Sheeran, for his part, addressed Macklemore’s removal from the tour on Instagram Tuesday, writing that he is “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine” but is “not complicit.”

The “Thinking Out Loud” singer explained that he agreed to have Macklemore join the tour and allowed him to choose his own set list, but said the issue came down to the way Macklemore “conveyed part of his message during his performance.”

He said he tried to “build a bridge” between the two sides but that the ultimate decision was made by the promoter, not him.

“Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me,” he wrote in part. “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”

The other opening acts also dropped out of Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore.

Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga all announced Tuesday that they would no longer participate in the remaining dates.

In recent days, Macklemore donated $1 million — his earnings from being part of Sheeran’s tour — to Palestinian relief efforts, urging Kraft to match him.

Kraft later pledged to donate $2 million to the cause after he said Sheeran personally called on him to do so, noting the decision was made prior to Macklemore’s challenge.

Sheeran’s cousin, Jethro, also took to Instagram to label the musician as “selfish” and “malicious” in a scathing rant Thursday.

“Finally it’s all coming out! I’m ashamed of my cousin Ed he’s done. Finally the world and all his fans see through him. He’s not a good person, I don’t like his music so I can’t say he’s even a good artist,” Jethro wrote. “In my opinion he’s a bad human. Just my opinion from my experiences.”