Macklemore Launches 'Free Palestine' Tour With Palestinian Singer Lina Makhoul

Palestinian-Israeli singer Lina Makhoul performed alongside American rapper Macklemore at his "Free Palestine" concert in Dublin on Monday, addressing a crowd of 13,000. Makhoul, who won Israel's "The Voice" in 2013, has become increasingly vocal in her pro-Palestinian stance, drawing controversy in Israel. The Dublin concert, held at the 3Arena, was the first of a three-stop tour organized by Macklemore, who was previously removed from Ed Sheeran's U.S. tour for his anti-Israel statements.

All 13,000 tickets sold out within minutes, with the venue filled with Palestinian flags and chants of "Free Palestine." Attendees traveled from various countries, and the event featured images of destruction in Gaza. Proceeds from the concert are designated for Palestinian aid organizations, including UNRWA, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM).

Makhoul performed a wordless vocal piece, which actor Liam Cunningham, who introduced her, explained was to avoid potentially jeopardizing her freedom. Cunningham, known for his role in "Game of Thrones," opened the event by celebrating life and solidarity with Gaza. Makhoul, 33, was born in the U.S. to an Arab Christian family and grew up in Acre, Israel. She was the first Arab to win "The Voice" Israel and previously opened for Queen and Adam Lambert, and toured with Little Mix.

Her pro-Palestinian activism has led to significant backlash, including a 2018 controversy over her alleged refusal to perform at Independence Day events and a 2025 international tour listing that referred to Haifa as "Haifa, Palestine," prompting the mayor of Haifa to ban her from future city events.

Macklemore's tour follows his removal from Ed Sheeran's tour in September after he made anti-Israel statements and led "Free Palestine" chants during two stadium performances. The production company cited stadium owners' refusal to host the shows if he remained. Macklemore alleged Jewish billionaire Robert Kraft was behind the decision, though Kraft stated his objection was due to Macklemore's history of offensive rhetoric towards Jewish people, not his support for Palestinians. Macklemore has faced accusations of antisemitism previously, notably in 2014 for a costume perceived as an anti-Semitic caricature of a Jewish person, for which he later apologized.