Lorde Wears ‘Free Palestine’ Jacket Criticizing Robert Kraft Following Ed Sheeran and Macklemore Tour Controversy

Lorde targeted Robert Kraft following the Ed Sheeran and Macklemore tour controversy by wearing a Free Palestine jacket at a concert and tagging the billionaire in a photo of the outfit.

In a Monday, Oct. 5, post on her Instagram Story, the pop star showcased the custom piece she wore for her Austin City Limits set two days earlier. She hand-decorated the garment with messages in her own handwriting, featuring the phrase FREE PALESTINE in capital letters along the bottom trim of the jacket.

Lorde wrote @mr.robertkraft in a large callout positioned over the photo. The singer appeared to tag a fan page for the mogul rather than a verified account for Kraft.

Billboard reached out to Kraft for comment.

The gesture follows Kraft’s involvement in the supporting lineup of Sheeran’s ongoing Loop Tour. After Macklemore chanted Free Palestine and displayed visuals of the violence in Gaza during his opening sets at the first two shows in early September, Kraft rallied other stadium owners to bar Sheeran from performing unless he dropped the rapper as an opener. Kraft’s Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium.

Messina Touring Group, Sheeran’s U.S. concert promoter, terminated its contract with Macklemore. Macklemore subsequently donated the $1 million he earned from the short stint to Palestinian aid. In solidarity, all remaining opening acts on Sheeran’s tour—Finneas, Aaron Rowe, and Lukas Graham—dropped out of the Loop Tour.

Amid the public back-and-forth between Sheeran, Macklemore, and Kraft, Kraft announced plans to pledge money to humanitarian organizations in Gaza. He stated that the decision was not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf, but that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community.

Macklemore is planning a Free Palestine Tour to raise money for Palestinian aid, with stops in Dublin, London, and Paris. He announced that the dates sold out immediately.

Macklemore has not announced the artists joining him on the benefit performances. Lorde has a history of vocalizing support for Palestinians, including chanting Free fucking Palestine during a performance of Team at Madison Square Garden during her Ultrasound World Tour almost exactly a year prior to Austin City Limits, as seen in a TikTok video shared by Billboard.