Johnny McDaid Defends Ed Sheeran Amid Macklemore Tour Controversy

Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid has publicly supported his close friend Ed Sheeran, describing him as possessing a 'rare combination of genius and integrity' amid the controversy surrounding the exclusion of rapper Macklemore from Sheeran's tour. McDaid's comments came at the 2026 BMI London Awards, where he was receiving the BMI President's Award.

"One of the people who's taught me most about myself as a writer and as a human is Ed Sheeran," McDaid stated, reflecting on their deep personal and professional connection. McDaid, who co-wrote Sheeran's Grammy-winning song 'Shape of You,' emphasized their bond, saying, "We are more than best friends, he's my brother, closer than blood and I love him." He recalled the creative process behind 'Shape of You,' noting a specific lyric about bedsheets that he initially opposed but which Sheeran insisted on, ultimately proving to be correct.

Sheeran is currently facing significant criticism after Macklemore was removed from his Mathematics Tour lineup. The decision followed pro-Palestinian comments Macklemore made during his performances. In the wake of Macklemore's dismissal, other opening acts, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe, along with their backing band Beoga, announced they were leaving the tour in solidarity with the rapper and Palestine.

Sheeran himself addressed the situation during a concert in Philadelphia, reading from a statement. He expressed that the past week had been "one of the worst weeks of my life" and that he had "really didn’t know whether this tour would be carrying on." He conveyed his gratitude for the fans who continued to attend, stating, "today has been one of the weirdest days of my life. Tonight has been honestly the best show of my life, the best show."

He explained his previous reluctance to engage in political commentary, aiming for his music and shows to foster "unity and not division, about humanity and not politics." However, he felt compelled to speak out, calling the situation in Gaza "catastrophic and unjustifiable" and the October 7 attacks by Hamas "horrific." Sheeran also acknowledged the "centuries of Jewish pain" and stated that the "systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked."

The singer mentioned that he had considered canceling the tour but was motivated to continue by the prospect of performing for large audiences. "Everyone's telling me to cancel and I'm feeling all of my friends and family and people I know abandon me – and I look at the end of the week, and I see 50,000 people who haven't abandoned me," he told the crowd.

Macklemore's removal was reportedly prompted by accusations of hate speech from US stadium owner Robert Kraft, who stated Macklemore was "only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas." Kraft subsequently banned Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium.

Sheeran appeared emotional during his performances, apologizing for opening his shows with a political statement, acknowledging that some audience members may not have expected it. "The one thing that I would like to apologize for is the first bit of the show where it wasn't about music and I had to talk," he said. He concluded his concerts by emphasizing his desire for his shows to be about "unity. They're about love. They're about family."