Ed Sheeran walks into his South American dates with an empty support slot. Four acts have now pulled out of his Loop Tour within days of each other, and it started with Macklemore getting cut from the bill.

Macklemore was removed from the tour on Monday, days after telling a MetLife Stadium crowd in New Jersey to back Palestine, on September 4 and 5. Stadium ownership, which includes Robert Kraft, has been reported as citing "antisemitic rhetoric and imagery" behind the call. Macklemore disputes that framing entirely. He says Kraft leaned on fellow stadium owners to force him off the road simply for speaking up, an allegation Kraft's side has not confirmed in the reporting so far.

Finneas, who writes and produces for his sister Billie Eilish and had six dates lined up for late November into early December, announced his own exit hours after the news broke. "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed," he wrote. "I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people."

He wasn't first out the door, and he wouldn't be last. Aaron Rowe left first, framing his exit around Irish history. "As Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation," he wrote, adding that he'd "lose all respect" for himself if he carried on as normal, and closing with "Free Palestine." Beoga, the Irish band that's actually part of Sheeran's own touring outfit, walked too.

Lukas Graham dropped out minutes after Finneas posted. Their statement leaned less on politics, more on principle. "We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up," they wrote, adding they couldn't put those words out and keep touring as things stood. Elsewhere, the band struck a warmer note toward Sheeran himself, telling fans it was a hard call but one they had to make.

So where does that leave the tour? With no opening acts at all, for now. Sheeran put out his own statement the same morning, saying Macklemore's removal wasn't his call and that he'd tried to intervene on his behalf, without success against the venues involved.

What nobody's answered yet: does Sheeran book replacement openers for the South American leg, or does he just play longer sets alone? And does this quietly become the story of the tour, more than the music does? The shows are still weeks out. Late November is when we find out whether the empty support slots stay empty, and whether more names follow Finneas out.