Taylor Swift advised on her friendship with Ed Sheeran amid Macklemore tour controversy
Taylor Swift has been advised to remain quiet rather than distance herself from Ed Sheeran as the singer continues to face backlash over Macklemore’s removal from his US Loop Tour.
The longtime friends have been close for around 14 years, but Sheeran has found himself at the centre of controversy after Macklemore was dropped from the remaining tour dates following his public support for Palestinians. Sheeran has said the decision was made by the tour’s promoter.
Following Sheeran’s recent performance in Philadelphia, The Mirror spoke to PR expert John Kwatakye-Atiko of Popularity PR about how Swift might respond to the situation. He said he would advise his clients “not to say anything” and argued that this was not a situation requiring Swift to publicly distance herself from her friend.
Kwatakye-Atiko said the controversy involved stadium owners, promoters and liability concerns rather than an allegation of personal misconduct against Sheeran. He also suggested that Swift would be unlikely to take a public side in the dispute.
Swift and Sheeran have maintained a close friendship since meeting in 2012. The pair first collaborated on “Everything Has Changed”, which appeared on Swift’s Red album, and have since worked together several times. Sheeran also joined Swift onstage during her Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium in 2024.
The two musicians have continued to speak warmly about their friendship over the years. Swift previously described Sheeran as one of her “absolute favorite people”, while Sheeran has spoken about their ability to have long conversations because they understand the pressures of each other’s careers.
The latest controversy began after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian remarks during a concert at MetLife Stadium, after which he was removed from Sheeran’s remaining US shows. Several other support acts subsequently withdrew from the tour.
As Sheeran continues the remaining dates, Swift has not publicly commented on the dispute. According to the PR expert quoted by The Mirror, keeping her distance publicly while maintaining her longstanding friendship privately would be the approach he would recommend.
