In an effort to distance himself from the decision to remove rapper Macklemore from his North American stadium tour, Singer Ed Sheeran said the move was made by venues and the tour's promoter rather than by him personally. The controversy erupted after Macklemore used recent performances at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium to voice support for Palestinians and lead "Free Palestine" chants. The fallout has sparked criticism from both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian activists, with several artists reportedly withdrawing from the tour and fans demanding answers about who ultimately made the decision.
In an Instagram statement, Sheeran said Macklemore's agreement was with the promoter, not with him directly. "Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me," Sheeran wrote, adding that venues had indicated they would pull shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup. That has put the spotlight on Louis Messina and his company, Messina Touring Group, one of the most powerful concert promoters in the music business.
Messina Touring Group is a Texas-based concert promotion company founded by Louis Messina, one of the most influential figures in live entertainment. Messina has spent decades promoting major tours and festivals. He previously founded Pace Concerts and helped launch the Texxas World Music Festival, a long-running event that featured many of the biggest rock acts of the 1970s and 1980s.
He also worked with Sharon Osbourne to create Ozzfest and later received the Country Music Association's Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. Despite his prominence in the music industry, Messina has generally maintained a low public political profile. Newsweek reached out to Messina and Messina Touring Group for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
Messina Touring Group is one of the largest promoters in North America and has worked with some of the biggest names in music. Sheeran has previously spoken about the close relationship he developed with Messina. The singer has said he first met the promoter in 2013 after opening for Swift and credits that encounter with beginning a business partnership that helped shape his touring career.
The backlash stems from Macklemore's removal from the tour after the rapper used recent stadium performances to advocate for Palestinians amid the Israel-Gaza conflict. Following the concerts, pro-Israel groups launched campaigns urging venues and tour organizers to remove Macklemore from the remaining dates. One petition organized by the Israeli American Council argued that concertgoers had purchased tickets for a music performance, not political activism.
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