Taylor Swift has quietly checked in on Ed Sheeran but will not publicly “rescue” him from his tour controversy, a new report says.
The report, published Sunday, landed hours before Swift’s husband of the past two months, Travis Kelce, set a new NFL record to add to his growing list.
“Taylor has spoken to Ed and has been supportive privately, but she understands this is Ed’s situation to navigate. Don’t expect an Instagram statement or some big public show of support,” said one music industry insider who spoke to entertainment reporter Rob Shuter for the report on Shuter’s Naughty But Nice newsletter.
“When you’re as famous as she is, simply standing beside someone can become the headline,” a second insider told Shuter, adding that Swift isn’t willing to let Sheeran’s controversy become hers.
Kelce Stays Quiet on Taylor Swift’s Political Record
Swift and Sheeran’s friendship dates to 2012, when she referenced his song “Lego House” during a “Speak Now” tour show, prompting him to reach out. They went on to co-write “Everything Has Changed” for Swift’s Red album, and Sheeran later told Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast that the pair still catches up “four times a year” for marathon conversations, according to a Cover Media report.
Sheeran was one of the earliest-reported guests to attend Swift and Kelce’s Madison Square Garden wedding on July 3.
Swift broke her own long political silence in 2018, endorsing Tennessee Democrat Phil Bredesen and writing that Republican Marsha Blackburn’s voting record “appalls and terrifies me,” according to a Fox News report. She has since backed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for president, and publicly issued statements in support of LGBTQ and abortion rights. In 2020, she also criticized President Donald Trump’s rhetoric during nationwide protests over George Floyd’s murder.
Kelce has stayed almost entirely out of the political arena. His voter registration remains listed as “none declared,” and when asked about a possible Trump appearance at Super Bowl LIX, he called it simply “a great honor,” according to Newsweek.
Swift’s Decision Allows Spotlight For Kelce Record
Sheeran’s Loop Tour has been embroiled in controversy since an opening act, rapper Macklemore, chose to deliver political statements on the Israel-Palestine conflict and other topics from the stage during shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The controversy led venues to threaten to cancel Sheeran’s shows unless the rapper was dropped, according to SPIN magazine. Macklemore was ultimately removed from remaining U.S. tour dates, and Sheeran’s other opening acts voluntarily walked off in support.
Robert Kraft, who owns New England’s Gillette Stadium, was the most vocal venue-owner pushing for Macklemore’s removal, warning Sheeran that shows would be pulled if the rapper stayed on the bill, according to CTV News coverage.
Sheeran broke his silence before his Sept. 19 Philadelphia show, posting that he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine” and calling the suffering on both sides “a human tragedy.” He added that he could no longer hide how he felt, a reversal for an artist who spent his career trying to dodge the role of “activist musician.”
Kelce, meanwhile, made his own headlines Sunday night. He broke the NFL’s career record for yards after the catch during Kansas City’s overtime win over Indianapolis, an event that could easily have been overshadowed if Swift decided to take a public stand on the Sheeran controversy.
The mark pushed Kelce past Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk on the league’s all-time list, arriving in the first half of Kansas City’s 33-30 overtime win. He finished with 9 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, the latest entry on a resume already crowded with franchise and league marks.
Taylor Swift Won’t ‘Rescue’ Ed Sheeran as Travis Kelce Sets Record: Report