Pop
Bono says Ed Sheeran wanted to avoid politics when they collaborated
Bono has revealed Ed Sheeran told him he didn’t want to make political statements while working together on Yours Eternally, as the U2 frontman addressed the wider fallout from Macklemore’s removal from Ed's US tour.
Bono has revealed that Ed Sheeran made clear he did not want to engage in political commentary while the pair were collaborating on Yours Eternally.
Speaking to Rolling Stone UK, the U2 singer said Sheeran told him: “You’re not going to get me into politics, are you?”
The track, released earlier this year, is written as a letter from a Ukrainian soldier. Bono said Sheeran explained his stance by adding: “Yeah, but I just want to keep my thing free.”
Bono declined to comment directly on the backlash Sheeran is facing after Macklemore was dropped from the US dates of the Loop Tour following his “Free Palestine” speech at MetLife Stadium. He said: “I would say with Ed and Macklemore that we shouldn’t personalise this, what’s going on… I don’t want to dwell on Ed and Macklemore and that incident.”
He referenced a conversation with Brian Eno, saying: “Pop stars are like little fish in a large sea of huge forces and religion and politics.”
U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. supported Sheeran’s right to stay apolitical, saying: “Artists [can] choose whether they want to be involved, and they are entitled to choose whether they want to be involved or not… And it’s not our job to criticise that, no matter how we feel.”
Concert promoter Robert Kraft has faced criticism after allegedly blocking Macklemore from performing at his stadium and encouraging other venue owners to take the same position. Kraft has defended his actions and has since partnered with Sheeran to commit millions to humanitarian relief.
Mullen said U2 would not accept similar pressure, adding: “We are absolutely clear about promoters or billionaire owners and the idea that they could have some influence on what you say or what you do on a stage… If you applied that logic to U2, we would have been out of business on Sunday Bloody Sunday.”
