U2 and Ed Sheeran collaborated earlier this year on the song “Yours Eternally” off the band’s “Days of Ash” EP, which dropped in February. Bono told Rolling Stone UK in a new interview that Sheeran expressed his resistance to U2 about doing such a politically-minded song. The frontman was asked about the band’s Ed Sheeran collaboration in the wake of the backlash Sheeran received over Macklemore dropping out of his U.S. tour last month.
The rapper exited Sheeran’s tour after stadium owners such as Robert Kraft banned him from performing due to the “Free Palestine” speeches he made while opening for Sheeran at two concerts at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. After Macklemore was dropped from the tour, Sheeran posted a statement that ignited widespread backlash against him as he explained why, unlike Macklemore, he does not speak out on political issues. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram.
Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace.
I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change. There are different approaches to being an advocate for change.” However, Sheeran changed his tune at his Sept. 19 concert, which marked his first show since Macklemore’s tour departure.
The singer told the crowd after receiving backlash for staying silent that “this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.” “What happened in Israel and at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate,” Sheeran said. Brian Eno said today that pop stars are like little fish in a large sea of huge forces and religion and politics.
And so I don’t want to dwell on Ed and Macklemore and that incident.” Bono later added that U2 aligns more with Macklemore as the band has never been one to shy away from politics in their music and performances. We’ve been getting into this trouble,” Bono said. I think what Eno was saying is you have to persuade people by reason.
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