Ed Sheeran has added new opening acts to the United States leg of his Loop Tour following the removal of rapper Macklemore, who was dropped amid controversy over his public support for Palestine.
Isaac Slade, former lead singer of the Fray, confirmed via Instagram that he would be joining Sheeran for several upcoming North American shows. Slade is scheduled to open for Sheeran at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on October 14, Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 17, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on October 24, and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on November 7. Slade previously opened for Sheeran in Atlanta and took over solo duties for the Philadelphia concert after Macklemore’s departure.
Brooks Rosser, a Top 7 finalist on Season 24 of American Idol, also announced he would join Sheeran and Slade as an opener for the Indianapolis show. Rosser described the opportunity as his first live performance since American Idol.
As of late October, certain tour dates, including those on October 29 and 30 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, remained without confirmed supporting acts.
Macklemore’s removal came after he openly expressed his pro-Palestinian stance during performances in New Jersey last month, where he chanted “Free Palestine” and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall.” He further vocalized support for Palestinian liberation and condemned the rising death toll in Gaza during his set at MetLife Stadium. Following these actions, Sheeran’s touring company, Messina Touring Group, decided to drop Macklemore from the lineup. Sheeran has stated that the decision was not his own and has pledged $2 million toward humanitarian aid efforts.
Macklemore later alleged that Sheeran was presented with an ultimatum: remove him from the tour or risk cancellations of shows. He pointed to Robert Kraft—owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium—as a key figure purportedly pressuring venue owners to push for Macklemore’s exclusion. In response to Macklemore’s removal, other supporting artists, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and the backing band Beoga, withdrew from the tour in solidarity.
In the wake of these events, Macklemore announced plans to launch a Free Palestine Tour in Europe, with initial shows scheduled at Dublin’s 3 Arena, Paris’s Accor Arena, and London’s Wembley Arena. These dates reportedly sold out rapidly, reflecting strong audience interest in his political message.