After Matty Healy kissed another man on stage in 2023, The 1975 are being sued by Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival for $2,400,000.00
In July of last year, when the band’s frontman spoke out against local LGBTQ+ laws and subsequently kissed bandmate Ross MacDonald, the 35-year-old singer/songwriter sparked controversy in the Islamic country.
Healy’s actions led to the band’s performance being cut short with the musician later claiming he and the rest of the 1975 were briefly jailed over the incident.
One year following the incident, the organizers of the Good Vibes Festival have filed a lawsuit against the British pop/rock group and are seeking financial compensation.
On Tuesday (7.30,) Variety reported “Future Sound Asia … claim that the 1975 and their management team were aware of the numerous prohibitions the band had to abide by in order to perform.” “The band previously performed at the festival in 2016 and were told of the prohibitions then and were reminded multiple times again ahead of the performance last summer.”
According to the court documents, it was clear to the band that, “swearing, smoking and drinking on stage, taking off clothes and talking about politics or religion” would not be allowed, nor was kissing on stage or during the performance. It was also stated that the band’s $350,000.00 performance fee was made under the assumption the rules would be adhered to.
In Malaysia, there are no protective laws for the LGBTQ+ community and those engaged in same-sex sexual acts could face up to two decades in jail and the risk of being whipped.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Markus Maier