Ed Sheeran welcomed a familiar face to his U.S. tour on Saturday night, bringing former The Fray frontman Isaac Slade to the stage in Atlanta.
Slade performed before Sheeran's headline set at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, marking the first special guest appearance on the tour since Sheeran's support acts walked away following the controversy surrounding rapper Macklemore.
Isaac Slade Performs The Fray Classics
The 45-year-old musician played several of The Fray's best-known songs, including “How to Save a Life” and “You Found Me.”
Slade has previously appeared alongside Sheeran. The pair performed together during Sheeran's concert in Toronto in August, and Sheeran has spoken about The Fray's influence on his early musical career.
Slade left The Fray in 2022 and later began focusing on his solo career.
Slade Addresses the Gaza Conflict
During his Atlanta appearance, Slade also spoke about the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
He told the audience that people have increasingly been choosing sides and argued that finding a peaceful solution requires people to look for common ground.
Slade's comments came amid an ongoing controversy surrounding Sheeran's tour and Macklemore's removal from the lineup.
Why Did Macklemore Leave the Tour?
Macklemore was removed from the remaining U.S. dates of Sheeran's tour after making pro-Palestinian comments during performances in New Jersey.
The decision triggered a wider dispute within the tour. Several other musicians who had been scheduled to perform with Sheeran subsequently withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore.
Among those who stepped away were Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe, while Sheeran's backing band Beoga also withdrew.
As a result, Sheeran performed several shows without traditional opening acts.
Sheeran Responds to the Backlash
The controversy also placed Sheeran under intense public scrutiny.
The British singer previously said that he was not complicit in the decision to remove Macklemore and described the choice as one made by the promoter. He later addressed the issue directly during a Philadelphia concert, apologising to fans and explaining his position on the conflict.
Sheeran said he wanted his concerts to remain spaces where people from different backgrounds and with different political views could come together.
Macklemore Starts His Own Tour
Macklemore has since announced a series of concerts centered around Palestinian solidarity.
The rapper's new “Free Palestine” shows in Dublin, Paris and London are set to feature special guests, with proceeds going toward organisations supporting Palestinians. The shows reportedly sold out quickly.
The controversy has therefore expanded beyond Sheeran's tour and into a wider discussion about artists, free speech and political expression in the music industry.
What Happens Next for Sheeran's Tour?
Slade's appearance in Atlanta gives Sheeran's tour a new opening act after several difficult weeks.
The U.S. leg of Sheeran's Loop Tour is scheduled to continue through November, before the singer moves on to Latin American dates.
For now, the Atlanta performance suggests that Sheeran is beginning to rebuild the tour's lineup, while the debate surrounding Macklemore and the artists who left continues to attract attention.
