Matty Healy faces lawsuit after bold protest at Malaysia festival

Drugs, parties, publicly expressing controversial opinions, and breaking laws—artists and celebrities sometimes feel they can do more than ordinary citizens. Although they sometimes manage to avoid tickets for illegal driving or disturbing the peace, more serious offenses are punished just as harshly as in the case of any person. The singer and frontman of The 1975, Matty Healy, found this out.

On July 18, 2023, The 1975 performed at the Good Vibes festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event's regulations included a ban on discussing political and religious topics, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and cursing on stage. Matty Healy seems to oppose these types of bans. At The 1975's concerts, there is no shortage of curses or alcohol.

Malaysia is known for having a strict policy against the LGBT community, which did not sit well with the British singer. Healy said on stage that he had considered canceling the performance but did not want to disappoint his Malaysian fans: "I don't see the [expletive] 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. Unfortunately you don't get a set of loads of uplifting songs because I'm [expletive] furious." Matty Healy also added that he knows the audience does not represent the government. The artist then kissed bassist Ross MacDonald.

The behavior of Matty Healy led to the cancellation of the rest of the Good Vibes festival. Now, the company that organized the event is demanding compensation of 1.9 million pounds, which is over 2 million dollars. The case has been referred to a British court. The lawsuit stated that the artist deliberately broke the event's regulations. The company Future Sound Asia also cited guidelines set by the Central Agency for Filming and Performance Permits for Foreign Artists in Malaysia, which prohibit kissing, kissing a member of the audience, or performing such acts among themselves.