British band The 1975 – fronted by singer Matty Healy – performed at Singapore’s Sands Expo & Convention Centre on July 18, 2023.
PHOTO: JORDAN CURTIS HUGHES
JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR – British pop-rock band The 1975 have cancelled concerts in Indonesia and Taiwan, after Malaysia axed a music festival over a same-sex kiss and tirade against the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws by their frontman Matty Healy.
“The 1975 regret to announce that their forthcoming shows in Jakarta and Taipei will no longer be going ahead as planned,” the group said in a statement on Sunday.
“The band never take the decision to cancel a show lightly and had been eagerly looking forward to playing for fans in Jakarta and Taipei, but unfortunately, due to current circumstances, it is impossible to proceed with the scheduled shows.”
The gigs in Jakarta and Taipei were due to have taken place on Sunday and Tuesday respectively.
The 1975 recently held two sold-out concerts on July 18 and 19 at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Expo & Convention Centre, having previously played in Singapore in 2014, 2016 and 2019.
The band’s next scheduled concert is the Lollapalooza festival in the United States in early August.
During The 1975’s set at the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 34-year-old singer Healy gave a speech criticising the Malaysian government for criminalising same-sex relationships.
“I made a mistake when we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it. I don’t see the ****ing point, right? I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and telling us who we can have sex with,” he told the crowd.
Homosexuality is forbidden in Malaysia, and laws criminalising sodomy can result in imprisonment or corporal punishment.
Healy, who was holding a bottle of wine, told the crowd that the group would not be performing “uplifting songs” as he was furious.
“And that’s not fair on you, because you’re not representative of your government. You are young people, and I’m sure a lot of you are gay and progressive,” he said.
After Healy’s speech, the band’s bassist Ross MacDonald walked over to him, and the two men kissed during their rendition of I Like America & America Likes Me.
On Saturday afternoon, the organisers said in an Instagram post that the festival, which was supposed to end on Sunday, had been cancelled following the incident.
Malaysian Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil condemned the singer on Saturday after ordering the festival’s cancellation. “Never touch the sensitivities of the community, especially those that are against the manners and values of the local culture,” he said in a tweet.
In response to the festival cancellation news, Healy wrote on Instagram: “Okay, well, why don’t you try and not make out with Ross for 20 years. Not as easy as it looks.”
According to Malaysian news outlet The Star, Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said The 1975 left Malaysia on Saturday morning.
“In terms of action against the band, there is not much that can be done. That said, we will hold the organisers (of the Good Vibes Festival) responsible for their actions,” he said.
Festival organisers said that The 1975’s antics contravened promises made by their management to obey local performance guidelines.
“Regrettably, Healy did not honour these assurances, despite our trust in their commitment. Healy’s actions took us by complete surprise, and we halted the show as promptly as feasible following the incident,” read a statement by event agency Future Sound Asia.
“Healy’s unprofessional behaviour and overt defiance of Malaysian laws and regulations are disturbing.”
Australian rapper Kid Laroi, who was supposed to have performed at Good Vibes Festival on Saturday, took to Instagram to apologise to fans in Malaysia for not being able to do so.
“Touched down and found out the festival is cancelled. I love you, Malaysia. I’m sorry,” he said on Saturday.
The 19-year-old later shared video footage of himself performing at the lobby of his hotel for a small crowd of excited fans.
Malaysian singer Talitha Tan, who was also in the festival’s line-up and slated to take the stage on Sunday, called out The 1975’s “reckless ignorance, selfishness and inability to adjust or respect different cultures”.
“Malaysia’s not perfect. But man, I am shattered. I feel sorry for Good Vibes Festival’s team. I feel sorry for all the performers who have worked so hard on showcasing their music,” she said, adding: “Mummy, I am so, so sorry.”
Tan had previously shared her plans to dedicate her festival set to her mother, who died suddenly in Selangor in June.
Healy, who was in the news in May for a short-lived fling with American pop star Taylor Swift, is no stranger to controversy.
In 2019, he kissed a male fan while performing in Dubai, which criminalises same-sex couples and sexual acts.
After the incident, he tweeted to his Dubai fans: “I don’t think we’ll be allowed back due to my ‘behaviour’ but know that I love you and I wouldn’t have done anything differently given the chance again.”