Ed Sheeran adds Isaac Slade and Brooks Rosser to Loop Tour after Macklemore removal

Former The Fray frontman Isaac Slade and American Idol contestant Brooks Rosser will open Sheeran’s U.S. dates after rapper Macklemore was dropped over Gaza comments.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:03:47 GMT

Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour has announced new opening acts following the removal of rapper Macklemore over comments about Gaza, according to both the Independent and the Evening Standard.

What happened

Isaac Slade, formerly the lead singer of The Fray, and Brooks Rosser, a season‑24 American Idol contestant, have been added to the tour’s lineup. Slade will support Sheeran in Indianapolis on 10 October, Charlotte on 17 October, Arlington on 24 October and Tampa on 7 November. Rosser will also appear on the Indianapolis date. Both artists shared the dates on Instagram, with Slade posting “See you out there.” and Rosser writing, “My first show since American Idol, and it’s at Lucas Oil Stadium opening for @teddysphotos I’m beyond excited and grateful. See you Saturday!”

What the reports add

The Independent notes that Slade previously performed on stage during Sheeran’s Atlanta show on 3 October; the Evening Standard confirms the same appearance.
Both outlets list the acts that withdrew after Macklemore’s removal: Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Danish vocalist Lukas Graham, Sheeran’s backing band Beoga and musician Finneas, brother of Billie Eilish.
The Independent adds that Finneas was among the acts that pulled out, and the Standard repeats this list.
Sheeran said the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoter, not by him personally.
At his first gig after the row, Sheeran apologized for “mistakes” and described the Gaza conflict as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.”

What was said

"See you out there." – Isaac Slade, Instagram (Independent)

"My first show since American Idol, and it’s at Lucas Oil Stadium opening for @teddysphotos I’m beyond excited and grateful. See you Saturday!" – Brooks Rosser, Instagram (both outlets)

"It was the promoter’s decision to remove the rapper from the tour and not my." – Ed Sheeran (Evening Standard)

"I apologise for making mistakes amid the furore and described the conflict in Gaza as catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate." – Ed Sheeran (Evening Standard)

How it came about

The reshuffle follows Sheeran’s decision to drop Macklemore after the rapper’s pro‑Palestinian remarks sparked venue and promoter backlash, a development covered by Felo News on 20 September (Ed Sheeran Drops Macklemore From Tour Amid Free Palestine Controversy). The controversy prompted several opening acts to withdraw in solidarity, leading Sheeran to recruit Slade and Rosser to fill the vacant slots.

Key facts

Isaac Slade and Brooks Rosser have been added as opening acts for Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour. (independent.co.uk)
Slade will open shows in Indianapolis (Oct 10), Charlotte (Oct 17), Arlington (Oct 24) and Tampa (Nov 7). (standard.co.uk)
Macklemore was removed from the tour after comments about Gaza. (independent.co.uk)

Timeline

2026-09-20 — Ed Sheeran removed Macklemore from the Loop Tour amid Gaza‑related controversy.
2026-10-03 — Isaac Slade performed on stage during Sheeran’s Atlanta show.
2026-10-09 — Announcement of new opening acts Isaac Slade and Brooks Rosser.