Malaysia abruptly halted The Good Vibes music festival in Kuala Lumpur after two UK band members of the same sex kissed on stage. The festival, scheduled to be a three-day event with major international bands performing, was cancelled following public criticism by the frontman of British pop rock band 'The 1975' against the country's anti-LGBT stance and the on-stage kiss with his male bandmate. During their show on Friday, Matty Healy, the lead singer of 'The 1975', told the audience that they had thought about cancelling the performance, but they didn't want to disappoint their Malaysian fans. He expressed his frustration, saying that it didn't make sense to invite the band to a country and then restrict who they can have relationships with. After his speech, Healy kissed the band's bassist, Ross MacDonald.Later, the band suddenly ended their performance, and Healy said they were banned from Kuala Lumpur. This is not the first time Healy has protested on stage. In 2019, during a concert in the UAE, which also has strict anti-LGBT laws, Healy kissed a male fan.
Image Source: Twitter
The Good Vibes music festival organizers said they removed the band from the stage because they didn't follow the local performance rules. In Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, homosexuality is considered a crime punishable by imprisonment. As a result, 'The 1975' has been banned from performing in the country, according to a government committee overseeing performances by foreigners.
© Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved Powered by Vygr Media
