Why So Many People Can't Stand Matty Healy
Throughout his career, The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has never shied away from voicing his opinions. From politics to the state of the world and pop culture, his opinions have made him quite a polarizing figure. In December 2016, he received praise for slamming the rise of conservative ideals, referencing Donald Trump's controversial presidential win and Brexit. "We see loads of young liberal, compassionate people every night, so this is our world," he said. "So when things go at odds of that, it's really confusing, and it makes you really f**king angry." In 2019, Healy was lauded again after he advocated for women's reproductive rights while performing in Alabama. Days before the band's performance, the state's governor, Kay Ivey, signed House Bill 314 into law, which virtually bans abortion.
"The reason I'm so angry is because I don't believe [the ban] is about the preservation of life. I believe it's about controlling women," he exclaimed to the crowd. When acknowledging the lawmakers behind the bill, Healy said: "You are a disgrace. You are not men of God. You are simply misogynistic wankers." While Healy has used his platform to highlight some of the world's injustices, he hasn't always been a saint. Throughout 2023, the singer-songwriter has received backlash from fans and his music peers for his problematic statements. Join us as we take a deep dive into why Healy isn't a fan favorite among music enthusiasts.
Matty Healy's participated in a racist discussion about Ice Spice
In January 2023, rapper Ice Spice revealed during an interview with Elle that she was a fan of The 1975. "I listen to alternative music. I feel like a lot of people wouldn't expect that," she said. "Shout out to Coldplay, The 1975 [I'm] obsessed with them." Days later, Healy was asked if he knew about the young talent during a since-deleted episode of "The Adam Friedland Show" podcast. However, instead of having an appropriate conversation, the titular host made racist jokes about the rapper. Healy quickly drew criticism from fans for laughing at offensive remarks and engaging in a back-and-forth with the host.
He was also slammed by singer Rina Sawayama, who called him out before her performance of "STFU" at Glastonbury 2023. "I wrote this next song because I was sick and tired of these microaggressions," she exclaimed. "So tonight, this goes out to a white man that... mocks Asian people on a podcast." In response to the backlash, Healy apologized to Ice Spice during a concert in New Zealand. "I never meant to hurt anybody. I'm sorry if I've offended you. Ice Spice, I'm sorry," he explained. Months after Healy's apology, Ice Spice broke her silence during a September 2023 interview with Variety. "When I had heard that little podcast or whatever, I was so confused," she explained. While the incident was disheartening, she told the news outlet that Healy apologized to her at a Jean Paul Gaultier party.
Matty Healy got a Malaysian music festival cancelled
The Ice Spice controversy wasn't the only issue in which Matty Healy received criticism. In July 2023, The 1975 frontman caused quite a stir when he kissed his bandmate, Ross MacDonald, during a performance at the Malaysia-based Good Vibes Festival. "I don't see the f**king point, right? I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with," he exclaimed to the crowd before the kiss. While the move was meant to protest the country's strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws, it resulted in the two remaining days of the festival getting canceled. "There will be no compromise against any party that challenges, disparages, and violates Malaysian laws," said the country's communications minister, Fahmi Fadzil, in a statement obtained by Entertainment Weekly.
Following the festival's cancellation, Healy received backlash from various LGBTQ+ Malaysians. In a statement to CNN, local drag performer Carmen Rose described the singer as having a white savior complex. "He thinks we need saving, he thinks we need fixing, when in reality we have queer organizations here already doing the work," she explained. "If he wanted to advocate for queer rights here, he wouldn't just fly off and leave the mess behind." In addition to the pushback from the LGBTQ+ community, the organizer behind Good Vibes Music Festival, Future Sound Asia, ordered The 1975 to pay over £2 million in damages, according to Pitchfork. As of this writing, a resolution has not been announced.