Taylor Swift may be taking the “better safe than sorry” approach when it comes to Ed Sheeran’s latest controversy.
According to a report from Rob Shuter, the singer-songwriter has reportedly been keeping some distance from her longtime friend after political comments made during Sheeran’s MetLife Stadium shows sparked backlash.
Macklemore, who appeared as a special guest during Sheeran’s tour, called for “Free Palestine” and performed “Hind’s Hall” while images from Gaza played behind him.
That reportedly put Swift in no mood to get anywhere near the drama.
“Taylor wants no part of this,” a source shared with the outlet.
“She loves Ed, but she is incredibly careful about what becomes attached to her name,” the insider continued. “She isn’t inheriting somebody else’s political controversy because they’re friends.”
The source stressed that this allegedly isn’t the end of Swift and Sheeran’s friendship.
“This isn’t Taylor turning against Ed,” the source said. “It’s Taylor protecting Taylor. She knows one text, one photograph, one comment can become an international headline.”
Fair point when your name can turn a casual dinner into a global news cycle.
The Blank Space crooner and the Perfect singer have been friends since 2012, having toured and collaborated together over the years.
However, there is currently no confirmation that the pair have fallen out, and Swift has not publicly criticised either Sheeran or Macklemore.
Macklemore’s appearance also drew wider backlash, with an Israeli-American organisation reportedly calling for him to be removed from Sheeran’s remaining tour dates.
For now, the reported “distance” appears to be more about avoiding headlines than ending a friendship.
