The 1975 faces a $2.4 million lawsuit after Matty Healy criticized Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws during a controversial performance.
*New Delhi, 31 July 2024
Matty Healy’s Actions Lead
Matty Healy and his pop-rock band, The 1975, are facing a $2.4 million lawsuit from Future Sound Asia following an incident at the Good Vibes Festival in Malaysia in July 2023. The legal action was prompted by Healy’s public criticism of the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws during the band’s performance, which ultimately led to the festival’s cancellation.-(Matty Healy’s)
The lawsuit, filed in a UK court, targets each band member individually, claiming they violated established codes of conduct and staged a protest against Malaysia’s strict laws. According to the festival organizers, the band was fully aware of the rules they were required to follow, which included prohibitions on drinking, smoking, removing clothing, and discussing politics or religion on stage.-(Matty Healy’s)
The Malaysian Central Agency for the Application for Foreign Filming and Performance by Foreign Artists (Puspal) enforces strict regulations, including a ban on kissing between performers or with audience members.
Initially, Puspal denied The 1975’s request to perform last summer due to concerns regarding Healy’s past substance abuse issues. However, after the band agreed to comply with the guidelines, they were granted permission to take the stage.
During the performance, Healy kissed bassist Ross MacDonald, violating the rules and prompting the Malaysian government to revoke the festival’s license.
The lawsuit claims that the band deviated from their approved setlist, with Healy delivering a provocative speech, engaging in a controversial embrace with MacDonald, and reportedly consuming alcohol, smoking, and using foul language on stage. The band quickly packed their belongings and left Malaysia, aware of their legal transgressions.
The criticism prompted Healy to say, “Me kissing Ross wasn’t a stunt simply meant to provoke the government.” It was an uninterrupted scene from the 1975 theater play that had been performed many times before. The notion that artists must accommodate the cultural sensitivities of the local communities in which they are asked to perform creates a very risky precedent.
