UK band The 1975 are facing a $2.7 Million damages claim by Future Sound Asia (FSA) over alleged breach of contract during a Malaysian music festival. Lead singer Matty Healy’s protest against anti-LGBT laws included an onstage kiss with a bandmate. The FSA argued that Healy’s actions had disrupted the event, leading to its cancellation.
Healy’s speech highlighted support for gay rights and frustration with local guidelines. The FSA’s legal action focuses on the impact of breach of contract on artists and local businesses. Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications blacklisted the group and ordered the cancellation of the event, citing Healy’s actions as a “barbaric act.”
Read on to learn more.
Matty Healy’s The 1975 Faces $2.7 Million Damage Claim
MEGA
In 1975 faced a $2.7 million damages claim from organizers Future Sound Asia (FSA) for alleged breach of contract at a Malaysian music festival, per Daily Mail.
The allegations arose from singer Matty Healy kissing on stage with bandmates in protest of anti-LGBT laws in Malaysia. The FSA insisted that they received a “pre-release written assurance” that the group would follow “local guidelines and regulations.”
According to the FSA, Healy’s speech and actions during the festival in Kuala Lumpur were deemed disruptive, causing the event to be cancelled. The FSA held The 1975 responsible for the sudden cancellation of the three-day event and the absence of headliners The Kid Laroi and The Strokes.
Anti-LGBT Law Protest Matty Healy
Last month, Healy made a controversial speech during a festival in Kuala Lumpur reflecting his support for gay rights, stating, “I don’t see the point in inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.”
1975 were banned from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia after Matty Healy and bandmate Ross MacDonald kissed on stage during their set at the Good Vibes Festival.
Before the kiss, Healy delivered a speech about his frustration with the country’s discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community. pic.twitter.com/XcHuPHiYr5
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 21, 2023
He admitted his mistake in booking the show and expressed disappointment at the lack of uplifting songs in the set due to his anger, adding, “Unfortunately, you didn’t get a set of uplifting songs because I was so angry and that’s not fair to you, because you’re not a representative of the government you because you’re young, and I’m sure a lot of you are gay and progressive and cool.”
Following his speech, Healy shared a passionate kiss with the band’s bassist Ross MacDonald on stage before ending the show.
FSA Threatens Legal Action If Warnings Are Heeded
MEGA
David Mathew, legal counsel for Future Sound Asia (FSA), emphasized that the claim against The 1975 revolved around breach of contract. The FSA insisted that the band had signed a binding agreement to perform, which they claimed they breached.
He mentioned that Matty Healy’s representative had given written assurances that the show would comply with local guidelines and regulations, which had been ignored.
Mathew outlined that the FSA’s action was aimed at addressing the impact of the infringement on “local artists and small businesses who depend on the festival for their livelihood.” “In this regard, Future Sound Asia wants to move forward in a way that will give the affected Malaysian community some closure,” he added, per Daily Mail.
The FSA has previously said legal proceedings in the English courts will follow if the final warning is ignored.
Matty Healy’s LGBT Kiss Labeled ‘Indecent Act’
MEGA
In response to the incident, Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital put The 1975 on a blacklist managed by a body that oversees foreign artists performing in Malaysia.
Promising swift action, Malaysia’s Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil described the kiss on stage as a “very rude act” and ordered the immediate cancellation of the three-day festival after discussions with organizers.
He stressed the importance of respecting local culture and not offending community sensitivities, writing in a tweet, “Never touch community sensitivities, especially those that are against local cultural manners and values.”
Instagram | Matty Healy
Following these restrictions, the band decided to cancel two upcoming tour dates in Asia, one at We The Fest in Jakarta, Indonesia, and the other at the Taipei Music Center in Taiwan.
This isn’t the first time Healy has used an onstage moment to voice his opinion. In a 2019 concert in the United Arab Emirates, which also enforces strict anti-LGBTQ laws, Healy kissed a male fan as a form of protest.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
