Ed Sheeran admits 'mistakes' as he addresses Macklemore controversy at Philadelphia show
The mega-star spoke about Israel and Gaza at his first concert since rapper Macklemore was removed from his tour.
Singer Ed Sheeran opened his latest concert alone onstage and apologised to fans for making "mistakes" as he handled the fallout over rapper Macklemore being dropped from his tour over pro-Palestinian remarks.
"I never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about free speech and the most complex political issue on the planet," he said during Saturday's Philadelphia show.
He described the 7 October 2023 attacks as "horrific" and called the situation in Gaza "unjustifiable" in his first in-person remarks since the controversy erupted.
At the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia ahead of the show, there was a smattering of press cameras outside the entry gates, though most fans skipped talking to the press.