Barrera moved by tour walkout in support of Macklemore
Melissa Barrera said it was "so beautiful" to watch opening acts walk away from Ed Sheeran's Loop tour in support of Macklemore. She said the show of solidarity made her emotional.
Barrera spoke to the Associated Press in comments reported by Deadline on 19 September 2026. Macklemore had been dropped from Sheeran's Loop Tour over his "Free Palestine" remarks, and Finneas and Sheeran's other openers then left the tour in support of Macklemore, according to the same report.
Barrera knows that position well. She was fired from the Scream franchise — the long-running horror film series — for speaking up in support of Palestinians, as reported by Deadline. She told the Associated Press she did not receive similar support when it happened to her. It was too soon, she said, and people were too scared.
That firing dates to November 2023, when Spyglass, the production company behind the Scream films, cut Barrera over her social media posts on the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to Deadline. Jenna Ortega, her co-star, exited the franchise after Barrera's firing. Director Christopher Landon then dropped out of the Scream 7 project.
The latest dispute centres on a stadium stage. Macklemore shouted "Free Palestine!" during the 5 September show at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, as reported by DW. The remarks, made during his opening set — the short performance before the headliner — criticised Israeli government actions in Gaza, according to Reuters. He was then removed from the US dates of Sheeran's Loop tour, as reported by Deadline. Sheeran later weighed in publicly on the decision.
The response was swift. Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga dropped out as opening acts after Macklemore was dismissed, according to Page Six. Finneas and Aaron Rowe withdrew from the North American leg in particular following the dismissal, as reported by Deadline.
What makes this stand out for Barrera is the timing. Three years on from her own exit, she sees other artists acting together. She got emotional. For fans, this means two live-music stories are now linked: who plays, and what they say between songs.
