Matty Healy Sarcastically Addresses The 1975's Malaysian Ban During Lollapalooza Show

The 1975's frontman Matty Healy playfully teased their Malaysia ban during a Lollapalooza show, highlighting unity among fans. While speaking, he humorously mentioned a travel tip but was cut short by his bandmates.

The band's return at Lollapalooza followed their controversial show in Kuala Lumpur, where Healy's comments against anti-LGBTQIA+ laws led to their ban.

Healy's attempted support garnered backlash online as it was seen by some as "performative activism," and the Good Vibes Festival was canceled due to the controversy.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Matty Healy recently joked about The 1975's Malaysia ban during their headline show at Lollapalooza. While performing on the Bud Light stage at Grant Park in Chicago, the frontman humorously quipped, per Page Six, "What would we do without a little bit of drama, right?"

He took a sip from his flask and chuckled sarcastically, adding, "Look at this. They're always on the internet, constantly [talking about how we're] unified by things we don't like. And look – there are hundreds of thousands of people unified for something they do like. That's an actual phenomenon."

During their set featuring hits like "Chocolate," "Somebody Else," and "Oh Caroline," Healy began sharing a travel tip, saying, "One of my travel tips? Don't go to…"

However, he was interrupted by his bandmates strumming their instruments, preventing him from mentioning "Malaysia." This light-hearted gag added an entertaining twist to their performance.

Among the standout moments of their two-hour performance, an enthusiastic Healy dashed offstage upon spotting Blink-182's Tom DeLonge in the audience.

Healy, still singing "Robbers," wrapped an arm around DeLonge for a hug, quipping, "[He's] the person who inspired me to talk about my d*ck as much as I do."

The Lollapalooza appearance signified The 1975's return after their eventful show at the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur on July 21. This was their first performance since that controversial event.

Last month, the Malaysian authorities barred The 1975 from further performances after Healy launched an explicit tirade against the country's anti-LGBTQIA+ regulations during a concert. The singer went even further, making a powerful statement by sharing a passionate kiss with his male bassist onstage.

In response to the nation's strict laws, Healy addressed the crowd, saying, "I'm sure a lot of you are gay and progressive and cool. I pulled this show yesterday, and we had a conversation. We said, 'You know what? We can't let the kids down because they're not the government."

He added, "If you want to invite me here to do a show, you can f*ck off. I'll take your money, you can ban me, but I've done this before, and it doesn't feel good."

Following this incident, the Good Vibes Festival decided to cancel the remaining days of the event, citing Healy's "controversial conduct and remarks."

In the released statement, the organizers shared that they received an "immediate cancellation directive" from Malaysia's Ministry of Communications and Digital. "The Ministry has underlined its unwavering stance against any parties that challenge, ridicule, or contravene Malaysian laws," the statement read.

The organizers apologized, saying, "We sincerely apologize to all our ticket holders, vendors, sponsors, and partners. We are aware of the time, energy, and efforts you have put into making this festival a success, and we value your steadfast support."

Healy's apparent show of solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community in Malaysia ignited a flurry of online criticism, as many accused him of engaging in "performative activism" that could potentially amplify challenges for the already vulnerable community.

Carmen Rose, a Malaysian drag performer, voiced her concerns on Twitter, stating, "Matt Healy undoubtedly just made it worse for queer Malaysians who actually live here, and have to face the consequences because we all know our politicians are gonna use this to further their agenda."

She continued, "There’s a time and place to get one’s message across and what Matt did was just performative activism. They can go back to their privileged life while we face the brunt of this whole mess."

Another critic said, "They got banned but they don't live there it doesn't effect them whatsoever they'll be back to their home with no issues but what about thousands of queer Malaysians who will face the consequences now? white people needs to go to hell."