Macklemore brought a diverse lineup of artists to the stage in Paris on Thursday night for the second installment of his Free Palestine Tour. The charity concert series was launched after the Seattle rapper was dropped from Ed Sheeran's stadium run due to his onstage statements supporting Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
The sold-out event featured performances from a full roster of musicians, including Aurora, DJ Habibeats, Pomme, Portugal The Man, Redvell, Siba, Tamer Nafar, Xiuhtezcati Martinez, and Zeyne. Among the highlights, Aurora performed "The Seed," a track from her third studio album, A Different Kind of Human (Step 2). Macklemore also delivered Rudimental's "These Days" and his hit "Can't Hold Us." During the latter performance, he jumped over the stage barricade to join the audience as green and red confetti, representing the colors of the Palestinian flag, rained down on the crowd.
Addressing the audience, Macklemore emphasized the collective purpose of the gathering. He stated that all artists and speakers had united with one common goal: a free Palestine. He spoke about the importance of not erasing history by ignoring it, describing the current moment as a collective awakening where inherited trauma, borders, hatred, and fear must be overcome to remember humanity's true heart. He further remarked on witnessing what he described as a live-streamed genocide over the past three years, asserting that dehumanizing others inevitably leads to self-dehumanization.
Beyond the musical acts, the concert included speeches from guest speakers Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, Carice van Houten, and Francesca Albanese. Albanese, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza, delivered a passionate appeal regarding Palestinian steadfastness. She urged those who shield the powerful to work with activists rather than against them, calling for unity across language, faith, gender, and history to turn awakening into organized action and solidarity.
The tour began on Monday in Dublin, where Macklemore was joined by Hozier, Kneecap, and Boega, the backing band that left Sheeran's tour in solidarity with him. The series is scheduled to conclude in London on Friday. Proceeds from the concerts will benefit a range of organizations supporting the Palestinian movement, including Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestinian Youth Movement, Heal Palestine, Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Jewish Voices for Peace, and the UNRWA USA National Committee.
Sources: Rolling Stone.