July 31st 2024.
British band The 1975 is facing a lawsuit over a controversial incident that took place at a music festival in Malaysia last year. According to reports, the organisers of Good Vibes Festival are seeking damages of $2.4 million after the band's lead singer, Matty Healy, and bassist, Ross MacDonald, shared a same-sex kiss on stage.
The chaos erupted after Healy, 35, made a speech about homosexuality, which is considered illegal in Malaysia. In protest, he then locked lips with MacDonald, causing an uproar among the audience. As a result, the three-day festival, which also featured a headlining set from The Strokes, had to be cancelled.
In response, Future Sound Asia, the company that organised the festival, is now pointing fingers at The 1975 for the cancellation. In a recent court filing, it was revealed that there was a pre-show agreement in place stating that the band would adhere to all local regulations. However, they broke this agreement by engaging in the on-stage kiss.
The court documents also mentioned that Healy and the band were well aware of these regulations. The organisers claim that the band had repeatedly been reminded about Malaysia's laws regarding alcohol, smoking, swearing, removing clothes, and making political statements since their first performance in 2016. In fact, their application to play at the festival was initially rejected by the Malaysian Central Agency for the Application for Foreign Filming and Performance by Foreign Artists (PUSPAL).
The $350,000 contract between the band and the festival organisers also included a clause stating that the band would adhere to all rules and regulations. However, despite this, the band's behaviour on stage caused the festival to be cancelled. They were accused of breaking the agreed conduct rules, including a specific one that prohibits kissing or engaging in any such actions on stage.
The band received a lot of backlash for their actions, with some critics claiming that they had set back the progress of the LGBTQ+ movement in Malaysia. Local LGBTQ+ activist and drag performer, Carmen Rose, stated that Healy appeared drunk and was behaving disorderly even before the kiss took place. She also accused him of damaging a drone during his performance.
Carmen also expressed her disappointment in Healy's actions, stating that they had given the Malaysian government more ammunition to use against the LGBTQ+ community. She explained that living in a homophobic government, such actions only make things more difficult for the community.
The controversy surrounding the band's behaviour split their fans' opinions, with some praising them for bringing attention to the anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Malaysia. However, others criticized them for their actions and accused them of not fulfilling their duties as performers.
Despite the backlash, Healy did apologize for his behaviour, stating that it was part of his stage performance and not done with any malicious intent. However, this did not stop the organisers from seeking damages in court.
The band has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit, but Healy did address the incident at a concert in Hawaii, where he joked about almost going to prison for their actions. However, his use of a derogatory term during his speech stirred up more controversy.
The Agency has reached out to The 1975's representatives for comment, but they have not yet responded. This incident serves as a reminder to artists to be mindful of local laws and regulations when performing in different countries. It also highlights the importance of using one's platform responsibly and being aware of the impact of one's actions.
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