Zach Bryan sports 'Free Palestine' shirt during performance

Zach Bryan drew attention to his appearance at Gillette Stadium on Friday, October 2, after taking the stage in a black shirt bearing the words "Free Palestine".

Bryan was performing at the Foxborough, Massachusetts venue as part of his With Heaven On Tour. His clothing choice gained attention because the stadium is owned by the Kraft Group, led by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who became involved in the controversy over Macklemore and Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour.

Macklemore made pro Palestinian comments during performances at MetLife Stadium in September, including a call for "Free Palestine" before performing "Hind's Hall". Kraft later confirmed that he had decided Macklemore should not perform at Gillette Stadium during Sheeran's September 25 and 26 concerts.

Kraft said the decision followed Macklemore's recent actions, material shared from the stage and what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that he said was offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community. Kraft also said the decision was not intended to deny anyone the right to advocate for Palestinians and said Palestinian suffering was real.

Sheeran's Gillette Stadium shows were cancelled because of severe weather linked to a nor'easter, while Macklemore was removed from the remaining US dates of the tour. Sheeran said the decision to remove the rapper was made by the promoter after venues indicated they would not host shows with Macklemore on the bill.

Macklemore later announced the Free Palestine Tour, with dates in Dublin, Paris and London selling out.

Bryan's shirt was notable because his concert took place shortly after the Macklemore and Kraft dispute. Bryan is scheduled to perform a second night at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, October 3.

Neither Bryan nor Kraft announced a connection between the shirt and the dispute. Its meaning remains open to interpretation.

Zach Bryan had released two self-produced studio albums, DeAnn (2019) and Elisabeth (2020), before signing with Warner Records to release his third album and major label debut American Heartbreak (2022), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and was led by the Billboard Hot 100-top ten single "Something in the Orange". His self-titled fourth album (2023) debuted atop the Billboard 200, while its lead single, "I Remember Everything" (featuring Kacey Musgraves), peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts simultaneously, also earning him a Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. His fifth studio album, The Great American Bar Scene (2024), peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, and his sixth, With Heaven on Top (2026), debuted at number one.

Throughout his career, Bryan has won several awards, including an Academy of Country Music Award, a Grammy Award and four Billboard Music Awards. He has sold over 30 million albums and singles, according to the RIAA.

Bryan started uploading his music to YouTube in 2017, with his friends recording him performing using his iPhone. Bryan's first song uploaded to YouTube was the single "God Speed" which ended up being a track on his debut album. Many of the songs Bryan would upload to his YouTube were written and recorded by him while serving in the Navy.