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Just sing, we don’t need your politics!

(11 Posts)
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Sago Sun 20-Sept-26 09:15:52

So Ed Sheeran caved and used his concert in Philadelphia as a political platform just as Springsteen,Di Caprio, Cumberbatch etc have done in the past.

His support artist Macklemore was dropped from the tour for leading chants of “Free Palestine”and performing a Gaza protest song.

Why do these celebrities feel the need?

If I pay hundreds of pounds to see a concert or play I want to hear someone sing or to get lost in a couple of hours of Shakespeare, I do not pay to listen to someone’s politics.

AIBU?

Music in particular is something that can bring people together so imo to give a political speech before you have even picked up your guitar is wrong.

My son once went to see a UK band when he was living overseas, they started by asking the audience to all shout “we hate the f@@@@@g King” they then asked them to “take the knee” he and his partner left.

This is behaviour you may expect from Kneecap but this was a much more mainstream band.

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Smileless2012 Sun 20-Sept-26 09:24:36

TBF I don't think he felt he could ignore 'the elephant in the room'. If he'd stayed silent it could have been seen as his support for what Israel is doing in Gaza which he and many, are rightly appalled by.

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nanna8 Sun 20-Sept-26 09:29:53

I think these singers and actors should do what they do best- sing and act. Leave the politics to others.

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Smileless2012 Sun 20-Sept-26 09:32:53

Depends IMO whether you regard it as a political statement or a moral one. For me Ed Sherran's was moral.

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Vito Sun 20-Sept-26 09:35:31

I agree with smileless

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Whitewavemark2 Sun 20-Sept-26 09:37:20

Art has always commented on wars, injustice etc. I have no issue with it whatsoever.

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Iam64 Sun 20-Sept-26 09:44:57

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

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GrannyGravy13 Sun 20-Sept-26 09:46:47

Ed was put in this position by one of his support artists.

His band and other support acts all walked out.

He performed on stage on his own in front of over 50,000 people 👏👏👏

He has always stayed politically neutral, I thought his words were apt.

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Sago Sun 20-Sept-26 09:50:45

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

“Art for arts sake”.

Ed Sheeran could have made a statement at the end of his tour or via his publicist, it did not need an audience.

I don’t believe art and politics should be linked.

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Syracute Sun 20-Sept-26 09:53:31

Politics were always a part of the music industry. Protest songs of the 70’s played a part in influencing the end of the Viet Nam war. All arts are a form of expression and should not be censored.

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Fallingstar Sun 20-Sept-26 10:03:06

Is perfectly ok for artists of all descriptions to express their horror regarding a situation like Gaza. Freedom of speech extends to everyone.
Indeed Bob Dylan famously advised Lennon once saying - and I don’t quote verbatim - “why have a huge platform when you can’t send out a message’. In this instance was about the Vietnam war.
And we have seen how Live Aid and other concerts have raised public awareness and funds to help with certain issues around the world.
Free Nelson Mandela was a great concert and I don’t think anyone could quibble about the need for this issue to be expressed freely by artists.

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