Lorde Wears Free Palestine Jacket and Tags Robert Kraft in Macklemore Tour Dispute
Pop star Lorde joined the Macklemore tour controversy by posting a photo in a Free Palestine jacket, tagging New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft after Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour.
New Zealand pop star Lorde has joined the ongoing controversy surrounding the removal of Macklemore from Ed Sheeran's tour, posting a photo of herself wearing a white jacket emblazoned with the words "Free Palestine" and directly tagging Robert Kraft, owner of the Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots, who reportedly advocated for Macklemore's dismissal.
Lorde shared the image without any accompanying text, relying solely on the tag to convey her message. The jacket is the same custom piece she wore days earlier during her performance at Austin City Limits, featuring what appears to be handwritten lettering. This comes on the heels of country star Zach Bryan also wearing a "Free Palestine" shirt on stage in an apparent gesture directed at Kraft.
The storm erupted after Macklemore was dropped from the lineup of Ed Sheeran's Loop tour following a pro-Palestinian speech during a concert. Kraft had strongly condemned the remarks as deeply offensive and painful to the Jewish community, leading to further condemnations from artists like Pink and the Israeli-American Council. In response, a wave of prominent figures—including Greta Thunberg, Massive Attack, Roger Waters, and Billie Bragg—have rallied behind Macklemore, while members of Sheeran's own backing band and supporting acts have walked out in solidarity.
Sheeran initially distanced himself from the controversy, expressing shock over the conflict and describing the suffering on both sides as a tragedy, later apologizing for missteps during a performance in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Macklemore has donated the $1 million he earned from the tour to six pro-Palestinian organizations and announced a dedicated "Free Palestine Tour," which quickly sold out.
