Just sing, we don’t need your politics!

Benedict Cumberbatch performed a poem by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish at 'Together for Palestine' for Aid for Gaza. I think this was fair enough.

During the 1970s The Sex Pistols used to regularly speak up against the war in Vietnam. They also shout out against the British monarchy especially during the run up to the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977.

Recently more and more USA celebrities have commented publicly about the disgusting behaviour of their president, Donald Trump.

These are just random examples; art doesn't exist in a vacuum.

There always has been and always will be a link between the arts and politics whether you like it or not. Cartoons, paintings, plays, poems, books, music, songs and even dance have all been used to comment and convey political opinions.

So one way or another pressure has been put on Sheeran and money will be at the bottom of it plus not wanting to lose fans.
Being a pleasant guy he wants to avoid confrontation as well.

Good point GrannyGravy.

Magenta it’s entirely different when an ‘artist’ actually wants to make his political or social views public on stage….Sheeran didn’t but has been forced into it.

Or maybe being a pleasant guy he just wanted to speak out against the atrocities being carried out in Gaza and the West Bank Oreo.

Smileless2012

Or maybe being a pleasant guy he just wanted to speak out against the atrocities being carried out in Gaza and the West Bank Oreo.

No he didn’t and if you have really followed this debacle you will see that Sheeran never wanted to but felt pressured into it in the end.

I feel sorry for him actually.

Isn't it a shame that not one politically minded artist is enraged enough to say a word about the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan? Perhaps they all approve of the barbaric restrictions enforced? Or just not that bothered?
Ed Sheeran was cornered into making a public declaration that wasn't initially on his agenda. I dislike bullying no matter what form it takes.

Do you Oreo, you don't come across as feeling sorry for him especially as you only seem to ascribe to him rather mercenary motifs.

I went to a Sixties Gold concert in 2023. One singer was obviously terrified of catching Covid. He said, at the end of his spot, 'Take care everyone, it's still out there'.

Totally inappropriate. People had gone to enjoy the music not listen to his doom and gloom predictions.

Happy to let you know that the Malala Fund joined Catharsis Arts and Kids Rock for Kids for a concert in New York to celebrate Afghan girls who dare to dream and learn.
Lots more info, if you wish to Google, and even support.

Magenta8

Benedict Cumberbatch performed a poem by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish at 'Together for Palestine' for Aid for Gaza. I think this was fair enough.

During the 1970s The Sex Pistols used to regularly speak up against the war in Vietnam. They also shout out against the British monarchy especially during the run up to the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977.

Recently more and more USA celebrities have commented publicly about the disgusting behaviour of their president, Donald Trump.

These are just random examples; art doesn't exist in a vacuum.

There always has been and always will be a link between the arts and politics whether you like it or not. Cartoons, paintings, plays, poems, books, music, songs and even dance have all been used to comment and convey political opinions.

Cumberbatch did more than this, he lost the respect of many theatre goers!

Nightly Pleas: After curtain calls, Cumberbatch stayed on stage and asked audiences for donations to support Save the Children aiding Syrian refugees.
The "F* the Politicians" Rant:** In October 2015, an infuriated Cumberbatch called the British government's plan to accept 20,000 refugees over five years an "utter disgrace," finishing his speech by shouting "F* the politicians!"Readings and Statistics: He shared humanitarian statistics and recited the poem Home by Somali-British poet Warsan Shire during these appearances.

I think that in the first place Sheeran was bullied into making political statements that he didn't want to make and I think that's unacceptable.
Having been forced to make a statement ,what he eventually was forced to say seems to have been balanced.
I was a great David Bowie fan and a great Dire Straits fan and was lucky enough to see both of them live , twice.
I didn't then and don't now know what any of their political views are or were and frankly I didn't and don't give a monkeys.
The Art and the Artist should be kept separate if possible and in Sheeran's case this was possible.
I'm not interested in Sheeran or his music.
The support artist bloke who The Promoter sacked should have been allowed to express his political views freely provided no-one was forcing him to do it.

Dickens

Iam64

Smileless and Whitewave have it. I feel Sheeran was left with no option but to respond to the criticism. Art and politics have always been linked

Hear, hear, Iam64.

Anyone who enjoys Beethoven is listening to music created through his political identity - by his ideals of individual liberty, humanism, and universal brotherhood - shaped by the Enlightenment.

As you say, Art and Politics have always been linked, one way or another and although I wouldn't want to hear a party-political-broadcast at the start of a concert - I wouldn't want it any other way because some of the best music and literature has been shaped by the artiste's political and cultural beliefs.

Exactly so. Art and politics have been closely entwined throughout history.

Look at any period in history, from ancient Greeks through the grand masters and Shakespeare to the present day, and you will find deeply political involvement by the arts of all kinds.

Ed Sheeran is not a-political, he is a known left wing supporter and was a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn.

Cabowich

I went to a Sixties Gold concert in 2023. One singer was obviously terrified of catching Covid. He said, at the end of his spot, 'Take care everyone, it's still out there'.

Totally inappropriate. People had gone to enjoy the music not listen to his doom and gloom predictions.

... sounds more like a polite sign-off to me, hardly doom and gloom predictions...

Anyway, I bet people still enjoyed the music, and you can't really censor what an artiste is or isn't allowed to say (legally anyway).

A musician is the sum-total of who he/she is - not just a voice.

If someone was terrified of catching covid I doubt they'd be at a concert.

Statement from Ed Sheeran

Maremia

Happy to let you know that the Malala Fund joined Catharsis Arts and Kids Rock for Kids for a concert in New York to celebrate Afghan girls who dare to dream and learn.
Lots more info, if you wish to Google, and even support.

I truly admire and respect Malala. An absolute true hero and courage of a goddess!

MT62

I am with Ricky Gervais, Collect your little award, thank your god, then F—-off! Halarious!

I agree with that, too

paddyann54

I,m with you *cossy *politics and music have long been intertwined.
You can’t seperate them for the”I don’t do politics* brigade,the whole of life is affected by politics .
I think Ed had to stand up and be counted,Whats the saying about evil only prevailing when good men are silent?
We all need to stand up to the evils being committed y the State of Israel and the vile Netanyahu and his equally vile IDF .
If we don’t then I believe there isno hope for peace in the world

I don't think it was so much about Ed feeling he had to stand up to Netanyahu's evils.

I thought (& haven't read much about it) that it all kicked off when the promoter fired Macklemoor for a relatively tame, short comment deploring the current suffering in Gaza & the West Bank, which had it been about any other topic under the sun would have gone under the radar. But any real or inferred criticism of Israel is just clamped down on by this promoter, so he was fired.
The issue was more solidarity with him having the right to say that (it certainly wasn't hate speech) without being fired, as the other artists feeling a compulsion to speak out for Gaza.

I could never be bothered with Paul Weller during his Red Wedge phase when he was in The Style Council, who were a real let down after The Jam. While Weller was always spouting what a big socialist he was, perhaps leaving Rick Bucker and Bruce Foxton with money problems after The Jam suggests otherwise.
Never really liked politicised music as I couldn't be bothered with being lectured by a singer. That's why I always preferred metal and rock acts, who rarely let on which way they voted and were just about the music.