Following an on-stage incident at the Good Vibes music festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, The 1975 band has been prohibited from performing in the country, and the entire festival has been canceled.
The decision came after Matty Healy, the lead singer of the British band, openly criticized Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws and kissed a bandmate during their performance.
Healy, 34, who recently attracted attention for his brief relationship with Taylor Swift, used explicit language in his speech at the festival to criticize Malaysia’s anti-gay laws. He openly condemned the country’s stance on homosexuality before sharing a kiss with bassist Ross MacDonald.
In Malaysia, same-sex relationships are considered illegal, and laws criminalizing homosexual acts carry potential prison sentences. LGBTQ individuals in the nation also face ongoing discrimination from authorities, and human rights groups have expressed concerns about the increasing intolerance within the country.
Healy told fans the band had thought of pulling out of the event, saying: “I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.”
“I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it,” he added.
Prior to the recent on-stage protest, Healy had already engaged in a similar act during a 2019 concert in the United Arab Emirates, a country known for its strict anti-LGBTQ laws. On that occasion, he kissed a male fan, demonstrating his stance against the discriminatory regulations.