Ed Sheeran broke down in tears as he revealed the deeply personal toll of one of the most turbulent weeks of his career, saying he felt friends, family and people he had known for years were abandoning him as the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from his tour intensified.
The 35-year-old singer became emotional during his September 19 concert at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, at one point sitting cross-legged onstage as he spoke candidly to the crowd.
His appearance came after Macklemore was dropped from the Loop Tour following controversy over the rapper’s pro-Palestinian comments. Sheeran’s other opening acts subsequently withdrew from the remaining dates in solidarity with Macklemore.
But for Sheeran, the consequences apparently extended far beyond the tour itself.
“In these situations you really find out who your friends are,” he told the Philadelphia audience. “It’s been a weird week.”
‘I’m Feeling All Of My Friends And Family Abandon Me’
Sheeran said events had unfolded incredibly quickly.
According to the singer, people he had known for years began distancing themselves while others urged him to cancel the tour altogether.
“At the same time, I had so many people telling me to cancel this tour and so many people I’ve known for years and years and years they’re kind of backing away,” he said.
Yet one detail kept playing on his mind.
Despite the pressure surrounding him, Sheeran said he had been watching the ticket sales for Philadelphia — and instead of seeing fans abandon the concert, he saw more people buying tickets.
“Everyone’s telling me to cancel and I’m feeling all of my friends and family and people I know abandon me,” he told the crowd.
Standing before approximately 50,000 concertgoers offered a striking contrast.
“I look at the end of the week and I see 50,000 people who haven’t abandoned me,” Sheeran said.
“People will say what they want, but I am doing this for you. I love you. I love this.”
Sheeran described the Philadelphia performance as the best show of his life while calling the preceding week one of the worst he had experienced.
Sheeran Admits He Was Afraid To Stand In The Crowd
His anxiety ahead of the concert had become serious enough to change the production.
Sheeran normally performs part of his show on a B-stage positioned among the audience. In Philadelphia, however, that part of the setup was removed.
The singer admitted why.
“I apologize that today is not the usual Loop show,” he said. “I took the B stage out because I was afraid of what might happen if I stood in the middle. And I will admit that.”
Sheeran had been concerned about his safety and feared objects could be thrown at him.
There were also pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside Lincoln Financial Field before the performance.
Once he was onstage, however, the reception was very different from what he had feared.
Instead of boos, Sheeran was met by a packed stadium of supporters.
He later became emotional again as he spoke about the affection he felt coming from the audience.
“The world is a scary place right now, America is a scary place right now,” he said.
Pointing toward the crowd, he added: “This gives hope.”
A Tour Suddenly Thrown Into Turmoil
The emotional Philadelphia performance followed days of controversy surrounding Macklemore’s departure from the Loop Tour.
Macklemore, 43, had been scheduled to support Sheeran on a number of remaining North American dates before being dropped after making pro-Palestinian comments during his appearance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The rapper later claimed that Sheeran had been placed under pressure after venues objected to his continued participation.
Sheeran, meanwhile, said the ultimate decision over Macklemore’s contract belonged to the tour promoter rather than him.
The dispute did not end with Macklemore’s departure.
Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga subsequently announced that they would no longer appear on the remaining dates in solidarity with the rapper.
Sheeran also found himself facing criticism much closer to home.
His Own Cousin Publicly Turns Against Him
Although Sheeran did not identify which relatives he felt had abandoned him, his cousin Jethro Sheeran publicly attacked him on Instagram days before the Philadelphia concert.
Jethro wrote that he was “ashamed” of his cousin and accused the singer of being selfish and malicious.
He also alleged that Sheeran had treated him badly personally and mocked mental health issues.
Jethro disputed the account that outside pressure was responsible for Macklemore leaving the tour, saying he believed Sheeran had made the decision himself.
“In my opinion he’s a bad human,” Jethro wrote, making clear that his comments reflected his own experiences and opinion.
Sheeran did not directly address his cousin during the Philadelphia performance.
Instead, his comments focused on the broader feeling that people he trusted had begun backing away during the crisis.
Macklemore Donates His Tour Earnings
Macklemore has meanwhile said he donated the money he earned from his involvement in the Loop Tour — $1 million — to Palestinian relief efforts.
He publicly challenged Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Kraft Group, to match the donation.
Kraft, whose organization operates Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, subsequently pledged $2 million.
Kraft said Sheeran had asked him to make the donation and stated that he had spent his life trying to bring people together, adding that he believed “all lives are worth protecting.”
The situation carries particular significance for Sheeran because his next scheduled concerts are September 25 and September 26 at Gillette Stadium.
‘50,000 People Who Haven’t Abandoned Me’
For all the controversy surrounding the tour, Sheeran’s most revealing comments in Philadelphia were not about contracts, venues or the arguments that had dominated the previous week.
They were about who remained beside him.
The singer acknowledged feeling abandoned by people he had known for years. He admitted being frightened enough to change his stage setup. And in front of thousands of fans, the strain finally became visible as he cried.
Yet the sight of a packed stadium appeared to give him something he had been missing throughout the week.
Sheeran had arrived fearing hostility.
Instead, he said he found approximately 50,000 people who had chosen to stay.
For one night, after watching friendships and professional relationships fracture around him, that was the part he chose to hold onto.
“This gives hope.”