If you’ve ever wanted to open for Ed Sheeran and have clearly been living under a rock this week, here’s your chance …I guess.
Music retailer Guitar Centre has launched a competition called Open for Legends, giving one undiscovered musician the chance to open for the “Shape Of You” singer at his Mexico City show on December 11.
The competition went live on September 14, the same day Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran’s remaining US Loop Tour dates. Since then, every scheduled support act on the US run has pulled out, leaving the tour’s opening slot looking less like a prize and more like a sentence.
Macklemore had performed at Sheeran’s New Jersey shows earlier this month, where he spoke out against the genocide on Palestinians, said “Free Palestine” and performed his protest track “Hind’s Hall”.
After those shows, venues on Sheeran’s upcoming dates reportedly told organisers they would pull the concerts if Macklemore remained on the bill. Sheeran later addressed the situation on Instagram and stressed that Macklemore’s removal was not his decision.
“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” Sheeran wrote. “Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.”
Macklemore later announced that he would donate the entire $1 million in net earnings from his appearances on the Loop Tour to six organisations supporting Palestinians, including Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee and Anera.
“I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organisations working directly to support the Palestinian people,” he wrote. “And I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation.”
Kraft is the billionaire owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, where Sheeran is due to perform. He had publicly objected to Macklemore appearing at the stadium. Kraft later said Sheeran had asked him to commit $2 million to “aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis”, although the eventual recipients of that money have not been named.
Soon after Macklemore’s removal, Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Sheeran’s touring band Beoga announced they would no longer perform at the remaining US dates.
“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas wrote on Instagram. “I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.”
Which brings us back to Guitar Center’s contest.
According to Entertainment Weekly, people began posting memes and non-musical videos supporting Palestine and criticising Sheeran on the Open for Legends submission site. Guitar Center has said it will not consider those entries.
“The ‘Open for Legends’ competition series was developed months prior to the controversy,” the company said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “As with any open submission process, we received entries that were not legitimate applications to participate in the program.”
“Those submissions will not be considered so that the opportunity can remain focused on musicians who are seeking to showcase their talent.”
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