Bono has opened up about the contrasting approaches to activism between himself and Ed Sheeran, revealing that the pop star was keen to avoid political entanglements while collaborating on U2’s latest project. Speaking with Rolling Stone UK, the legendary frontman recalled their time working on Yours Eternally for the surprise Days of Ash EP. During those sessions, Sheeran reportedly asked Bono point blank if he was going to pull him into the world of politics. Despite the song featuring a Ukrainian soldier and focusing on the harrowing reality of front line warfare, Sheeran insisted that he wanted to keep his public image free from political leanings.
The conversation comes amidst a storm of controversy surrounding Sheeran’s Loop tour and the removal of opening act Macklemore following pro Palestinian statements made during several shows. While Sheeran previously claimed that the decision to drop the rapper was made by promoters rather than himself, emphasizing his desire for his concerts to remain spaces of unity and escapism, critics have questioned his silence. Bono suggested that these dynamics should not be personalized, quoting producer Brian Eno’s view that pop stars are often small fish swimming in a vast sea of overwhelming religious and political forces beyond their control.
Despite defending Sheeran’s right to choose his level of involvement, U2 remains steadfast in its own tradition of outspoken advocacy. Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. noted that artists are entitled to decide whether they wish to engage with social issues, but expressed deep concern over the influence of wealthy power brokers in the industry. Both Bono and Mullen pointed toward reports that billionaire Robert Kraft played a role in pushing for Macklemore’s removal as a dangerous precedent for creative freedom.
Mullen reflected on U2’s long history of provocation, noting that if similar pressures had been applied to them decades ago, hits like Sunday Bloody Sunday might never have seen the light of day. While acknowledging that Sheeran prefers to let his music speak without accompanying manifestos, U2 continues to warn against any system where corporate interests or billionaires can dictate what happens on a musical stage. For now, it seems the collaboration between these two titans represents a truce between two very different philosophies on how fame should be used for social change.
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