A Malaysian festival is suing British band The 1975 for breaking their contract and causing damages. The lawsuit follows lead singer Matty Healy’s protest against Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws during a performance last July.
The festival organizers, Future Sound Asia, filed the lawsuit in a U.K. court. They are suing each band member individually, claiming the band’s actions caused the festival to shut down. The festival is demanding £1.9 million ($2.4 million) as a penalty for violating performance rules. The 1975 has not commented on the lawsuit.
During the concert, Healy criticized the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws with strong language and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald as a form of protest. The organizers allege that The 1975 and their team were aware of restrictions placed on performers, including prohibitions against swearing, smoking, drinking on stage, taking off clothes, and talking about politics or religion. The band reportedly agreed to these guidelines in order to perform.
The lawsuit, obtained by , alleges that the Malaysia Central Agency for the Application for Foreign Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL) initially rejected the band’s application to perform at the festival due to a 2018 article about Healy’s drug addiction and recovery. However, they eventually approved the performance after the band appealed and promised that Healy would follow “all local guidelines and regulations.”
The night before the festival, the band reportedly decided against performing, but then changed their mind and chose to play “a completely different setlist” and “act in way[s] that were intended to breach the Guidelines” as a form of protest.
The lawsuit claims that the kiss between Healy and MacDonald was done “with the intention of causing offence and breaching the regulations and the terms of the agreement.”
After the kiss, PUSPAL officers ordered the band to stop their performance, according to the lawsuit. It alleges that Healy became “very aggressive” towards them, “swearing at them and others.” The next day, the organizer’s license was revoked and the remaining two days of the festival were canceled.
The lawsuit states the band and their management “rushed to their hotels” to collect their luggage immediately after leaving the festival so they could leave the country as quickly as possible, knowing the performance had violated Malaysian law.
On Aug. 8 2023, Future Sound Asia issued a letter addressing a “breach of contract” on behalf of The 1975, and requested the band provide compensation for the festival’s losses following the event’s cancellation.
The lawsuit comes as religious groups in Malaysia have continued to crack down on international performers they consider to be provocative on religious or moral grounds. In 2007, Beyoncé a concert in Kuala Lumpur after Islamic groups raised concerns about her image in light of the country’s strict dress code for performers. In 2013, Kesha’s concert was by authorities the day before it was scheduled to take place, even after the singer agreed to self-censor her lyrics and outfits.