Paloma Faith Criticizes Ed Sheeran Amid Macklemore Palestine Controversy

English singer Paloma Faith stated on Channel 4 that she tells her children "Free Palestine" every night, during an interview discussing the conflict between English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and American rapper Macklemore.

Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran's tour after making pro-Palestinian comments during a performance in New Jersey. Sheeran said on Instagram that the promoter, not he, made the decision to remove Macklemore. Hours later, three other supporting acts, Aaron Rowe, Beoga, and Finneas, announced they would leave the tour. Sheeran stated he has been reluctant to comment on the conflict because his audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds.

Faith disagreed with Sheeran's remarks, criticizing him for not speaking out about Gaza during the tour. Faith said, "When he said that, it really upset me because there are so many children in Palestine who are faced with unimaginable things and shouldn't be." She added, "I think children should be exposed to politics." Faith also criticized Sheeran's use of the word conflict to describe the war in Gaza, stating she believed the wording should have been considered more carefully.

She said, "I don't like the word conflict because I think it's an eradication." Faith argued that major artists cannot remain detached from political issues, stating, being apolitical is a political act in itself. Macklemore, real name Benjamin Haggerty, had exclaimed "Free Palestine" on stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month. He also performed "Hind's Hall," his 2024 protest song for a five-year-old girl killed by Israeli forces, with footage of pro-Palestine student demonstrations and destruction in Gaza playing behind him.

The StopAntisemitism group accused Macklemore of ambushing fans with anti-Israel propaganda, a post amplified by singer Pink. The Israeli-American Council called for Macklemore to be pulled from the tour.