A three-day music festival in Malaysia came to an early end after the lead singer of the 1975 used the platform to criticize the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws. The British band, fronted by Matty Healy, was performing at the Good Vibes festival in Kuala Lumpur on Friday when Healy expressed his dissatisfaction with the Malaysian government’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights. He admitted that it was a mistake for the band to have chosen to perform in the country without fully considering the implications. This incident led to the group being banned from Malaysia.
Healy’s comments were captured in a video recording by a fan in the crowd. In the video, he expressed his frustration with the idea of being invited to a country only to be told who they can have sex with. As a symbolic act, Healy then kissed his bandmate, Ross MacDonald, on stage. Soon after, festival officials ordered the band to leave the stage, and Healy bid farewell to the audience, stating, “All right, we just got banned from Kuala Lumpur, see you later.”
In response to Healy’s remarks, the festival organizers decided to cancel the remaining days of the event. They stated that this action was taken upon receiving an order from Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital, which emphasized their firm stance against any parties that challenge or mock Malaysian laws. It is worth noting that homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
A source close to the band explained that Healy has a long history of advocating for the LGBTQ+ community, and the band wanted to stand up for their LGBTQ+ fans and community. However, Future Sound Asia, the festival organizer, expressed disappointment with Healy’s behavior and defiance of local performance guidelines. They claimed that Healy’s actions came as a surprise, as they had trusted the band’s commitment to adhere to the guidelines.
Fahmi Fadzil, Malaysia’s communications minister, condemned the band’s performance as “very disrespectful.” The Star, a Malaysian publication, reported that the band had been banned from future performances in the country. The central agency responsible for approving foreign artists’ performances, Puspal, filed a police report against the 1975 and the festival organizers, citing negligence and failure to comply with Puspal’s guidelines.
Other artists scheduled to perform at the Good Vibes festival included The Strokes, The Kid Laroi, Dermot Kennedy, and Ty Dolla $ign.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time Healy has used his platform to protest anti-LGBTQ+ laws. In 2019, during a performance in Dubai, he invited a male fan on stage and embraced and kissed him. Healy later expressed gratitude to the audience in Dubai, acknowledging that his actions might prevent the band from being allowed back but stating that he wouldn’t have acted differently given another opportunity.
Representatives for the 1975 declined to comment on the reported ban or the alleged police report filed by the ministry.
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