FINNEAS withdrew from the upcoming tour dates planned with Ed Sheeran, declaring his support for Palestine and the Palestinian people. The artist, who is Billie Eilish's brother, argued that artists who speak out on behalf of oppressed people should not be silenced and said he therefore decided to leave the tour schedule.
FINNEAS's statement came after Macklemore was removed from his role on Ed Sheeran's tour. At a concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4, 2026, Macklemore called for a "Free Palestine" and said Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank should not be forgotten.
Following the statement, Messina Touring Group announced that Macklemore had been removed from the remaining eight support-artist dates on Ed Sheeran's tour. Macklemore argued that he had been removed from the schedule because of his support for Palestine and his remarks onstage. Ed Sheeran said the decision was not his and had been made by the organizer.
The development expanded as other artists on the tour expressed their positions. In addition to FINNEAS, Aaron Rowe and Beoga were also announced to have withdrawn from their tour commitments. Lukas Graham's departure appeared in some reports; however, information about all the artists who withdrew from the tour was not confirmed within the same framework.
Debate over artists' freedom of expression
The events have once again brought attention to the relationship between artists' statements on political and humanitarian issues and tour contracts, concert venues and organizers' decisions. The withdrawal of multiple artists after Macklemore was removed from the tour showed that the debate was not limited to a dispute between just two artists.
Ed Sheeran's emphasis that the decision belonged to the organizer was also significant in distinguishing the responsibilities of the artist, the tour organizer and the operators of concert venues. FINNEAS's statement continued the debate over how the positions of artists supporting Palestine intersect with their places on tour schedules.
