Four artists leave Ed Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore

British singer Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America was hit hard last Tuesdaybythe announcement by four artists to participate in the  that they refused to participate in solidarity with rapper Macklemore.

After Sheeran spoke on social media about Macklemore 's exclusion and blamed the decision on tour promoters, Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga , Danish band Lukas Graham and producer and musician Finneas announced on Instagram that they were leaving the tour.

Rowe and Lukas Graham were to replace Macklemore in the final days of the tour, while Beoga played several songs with Sheeran in the middle of each concert.

Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother and musical collaborator, was due to join Sheeran on his South American tour at the end of the year.

"Artists should not be silenced when they raise their voices for the oppressed, "Finneas wrote on Instagram, while expressing his support for Palestine.

On the other hand, the members of the Beoga put on the table the history of Ireland to argue the decision, stating that Ireland knows "colonialism" firsthand.

"The decision to withdraw Maclemore was from the promoters, not mine."

The departure of these artists has increased pressure on Sheeran, who has so far tried to stay out of politics and not comment on the conflict in Gaza on the grounds that his followers do not go to the concerts to listen to politics. He also wanted to make it clear that "the decision to withdraw Maclemore was from the promoters, not mine."

Also, in the message posted on Instagram this Tuesday, the singer confirmed what Macklemore had denounced on her account and stated that she had been forced to establish a position on the conflict, despiteusing atotally equidistant tone .

"I am horrified by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the suffering and pain on both sides is a human tragedy," Sheeran wrote.

Sheeran then explainedthathe did not want to "use (his) professional platform to make politics," and that while he respects Macklemore for openly defending his ideas, he prefers to "use his reputation as a safe place."

He also stressed that his priority is his followers, as well as the group of musicians and technicians who "get paid" with the tour.

Macklemore, for his part, refused to blame Sheeran directly and named him as a friend and acknowledged that he was in a "difficult" situation.