Major Controversies Surrounding Matty Healy: A Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Matty Healy.

Matthew 'Matty' Healy is an English singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as the lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the pop rock band The 1975. He's recognized for his lyricism and the band's eclectic musical style, blending pop, rock, and electronic elements. Healy is also known for his often provocative onstage persona, which he sometimes refers to as performance art. He is considered an influential figure in the indie pop music scene.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2014: Healy tweets criticism of religion and ISIS

In 2014, Healy, described himself as "profoundly anti-religion", tweeted a criticism of religion and ISIS, and resented being "educated" on religion by a Harry Styles fan account.

2018: Healy apologizes for stating that "the reason misogyny doesn't happen in rock and roll anymore is because it's a vocabulary that existed for so long that it got weeded out"

In 2018, Healy apologized for his earlier statement about misogyny in rock and roll. He described his comments as "ignorant" and "wrong, just outright misinformed."

August 2019: Healy banned from Dubai after displaying pride flag and kissing a male fan onstage

In August 2019, Healy was banned from Dubai after displaying a pride flag and kissing a male fan onstage to protest Dubai's anti-LGBT laws, an act that could have led to imprisonment.

2019: Healy criticizes Queerty for misinterpreting his words on sexuality

In 2019, after Queerty reported that Matty Healy had come out as an "aesthete", Healy issued a statement on Twitter criticizing the publication for misinterpreting his words and clarified he was not trying to take up queer spaces, but rather trying to be an ally.

2020: Healy deactivates Twitter account after George Floyd post

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Matty Healy tweeted a message in support of Black Lives Matter and posted a YouTube link to The 1975's protest song "Love It If We Made It". After facing online criticism for self-promotion, he apologized and deactivated his Twitter account.

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November 2022: Healy denounces Kanye West's antisemitic remarks

In November 2022, Matty Healy denounced Kanye West's recent antisemitic remarks, stating that "grief" and "mental health issues" did not excuse them.

2022: Healy expresses suspicion of woke-ism

By 2022, Healy reaffirmed his leftist stance but expressed suspicion of "woke-ism," viewing it as potentially rigid and communicating to younger fans the inevitability of mistakes and the importance of growth.

2022: The 1975's At Their Very Best world tour commentary on contemporary masculinity

In 2022, The 1975's At Their Very Best world tour, written and directed by Healy, included a commentary on contemporary masculinity, exploring themes of internet isolation, fame, and sincerity. Clips from the show went viral on social media, prompting media coverage of Healy's onstage actions.

January 2023: Healy's performance of "Love It If We Made It" sparks controversy

In January 2023, a video of Matty Healy performing The 1975's song "Love It If We Made It" went viral. His gestures during the lyric "Thank you, Kanye, very cool" led to online debate about whether it was a Nazi salute.

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February 2023: Healy appears on The Adam Friedland Show podcast

In February 2023, Matty Healy appeared on the podcast 'The Adam Friedland Show'. During the episode, he laughed at jokes made by the hosts about Ice Spice's stage name and ancestry. He also joked about watching internet pornography in which black women are "brutalised".

March 2023: Healy addresses controversy from podcast appearance

In March 2023, Matty Healy told Jia Tolentino in a profile for The New Yorker that the controversy from his appearance on 'The Adam Friedland Show' was "people going, 'Oh, there's a bad thing over there, let me get as close to it as possible so you can see how good I am.'" He admitted to "oppositional" behavior and "exaggeration of my shit" over the previous 18 months.

2023: Healy and the 1975 banned from Malaysia after criticising anti-LGBT laws

In 2023, Healy and the 1975 were banned from Malaysia and forced to end their performance prematurely after Healy criticised the country's anti-LGBT laws and kissed his band mate Ross MacDonald on stage. The Good Vibes Festival was canceled and the band faced legal action.

2023: Healy criticises apathy of the left in British politics

In 2023, Healy criticised the "apathy of the left" in contemporary British politics, citing the Labour Party's failure to support rail workers' and dockers' strikes. He also urged audiences to resist the demonisation of strikers and voiced support for Scottish independence during performances in Scotland.

2023: Healy criticizes transgender laws of Mississippi

In 2023, during their Still... At Their Very Best tour, Healy voiced criticism of the transgender laws in Mississippi, calling them "bullshit" in an onstage speech.