Matty Healy, the lead singer of The 1975, who’s rumored to be Taylor Swift’s newest love interest,has a storied history of being controversial both online and in real life. Healy, 34, has maintained an on-again, off-again relationship with social media, quitting, rejoining, and re-quitting platforms as it serves him.
In April 2023, Healy deactivated Instagram and told fans during a performance in Australia that“The era of being a f—g a—hole is coming to an end… I can’t perform offstage anymore. I’ve had enough. Haven’t you guys had enough?”
While Healy’s been laying relatively low recently, his past reveals another story.
Why do people hate Matty Healy? Here are 5 problematic controversies that have irked fans.
Here is a timeline of Healy's problematic behavior over the years.
In 2018, Matty Healy made sweeping, racist generalizations about hip-hop
In a 2018 interview with The Fader Magazine, Healy was asked, “What's your perspective on drugs in the music industry right now?”
He answered that “one of the problems is the youth of hip-hop,” mentioning the prevalence of drug references in the genre. “Those things get weeded out the longer those things exist. The reason misogyny doesn't happen in rock and roll anymore is because it's a vocabulary that existed for so long is that it got weeded out. It still exists in hip-hop because [the genre] is so young, but it'll stop.”
Hip-hop fans felt Healy spoke out of turn and patronizinglyabout a predominantly Black genre of music.
After the interview’s publication, Healy took to Twitter to offer an explanation and semi-apology, tweeting, “What I said isn’t correct. And it’s not all a misquote. Just for clarity I said that misogyny wasn’t ALLOWED in rock and roll [nowadays]in a way it is in hip hop– not that it doesn’t exist, that’s maybe a misquote as I’m aware of the misogyny in rock and roll…I would never deny the RAMPANT misogyny that exists in rock and roll.”
He later came back to Twitter, stating, “Just to clarify I’m not apologizing for saying ‘rock music is void of misogyny.’. I didn’t say that… I’m apologizing for the fact my words could INSINUATE that misogyny in culture and music is an exclusively hip-hop (Black) issue. I do not believe that.”
Healy’s multi-part tweet to explain himself lacks any form of him taking accountability for his statement. Instead, he chose to apologize for“insinuating” a racist and misogynist perspective on the music industry, rather than outright claim the words he, himself, spoke.
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Matty Healy made anti-Islamic statements in 2019.
Healy gave an interview that was originally published ina Mexican outlet called Brut Mexico, in which he defended his position as an atheist, while simultaneously insulting Islam.
Healy stated, “Nowadays, I honestly think, if you’re piously religious—if you’re dogmatically faithful— you should be kind of ashamed of yourself. I’m bored with certain religions as well because certain racisms are aligned with them.”
Healy’s blanket statement about religion failed to recognize the various nuances of faith and spiritual practice.
He continued,“You can’t criticize Islam as a set of ideas… because you’re inherently criticizing people. But that’s a problem with society because Islamophobia does exist, people are bigoted. But what that really is is thick, bigoted people not liking brown people. Whereas I love people, I love brown people.”
While it appears that Healy was attempting to offer some sort of message on acceptance and inclusivity, his statement readmore like a white person essentializing an entire varied group of people to prove his point. Healy kept going, exclaiming, “I just don’t know when I’m allowed to be offended. Religious people are always allowed to be offended… Where are my rights as an atheist?”
Much of the hate toward Matty Healy stems from his 2020response to the BLM movement.
In May 2020, in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police officer Derek Chauvin and the subsequent nationwide protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Healy entered the cultural conversation, yet his response didn’t have the effect he intended.
Healy’s chosen form of allyship was to go on Twitter and call for people in theAll Lives Matter brigadeto stop “facilitating the end of Black ones.” He then posted the video for the 1975 song “Love If We Made It,” which contains the lyrics: “selling melanin and then suffocate the Black men,start with misdemeanors and we’ll make a business out of them.”
Healy was dragged online for using the framework of Black Lives Matter as an avenue to promote himself and his music. Soon after,Healy quit Twitter.
In October 2022, Healy addressed his actions in an interview with NME Magazine. He stated that “By that point, my reaction in the room to all that Twitter sh-t was like, ‘Oh f– off! You know that I’m not using this as an opportunity to monetize the half-a-pence I get paid for a f—g YouTube play’. What I’m saying is, ‘Here’s something I’ve really thought about,’and all you’ve been asking for four days is ‘Say something about it!’ So I said, ‘Here’s what I think.'”
Once again, Healy centered himself and his creative work during a conversation about race in the United States. As a white person, an essential part of being an actual ally, and not a performative one, is to decenter oneself and amplify Black voices. Healy, however, did the exact opposite.
Healy also paraphrased a quotation from artist Nick Cave, saying, “I refuse now to comment on the morally obvious. I’m not proving that I’m not racist. I’m not proving that I’m pro-women. I’m not proving I’m on the left. I’ve done that dance, I’ve done that game, I’ve done the work. I’m not interested in any insinuation that I am bigoted or racist or sexist for the enjoyment of someone on the internet.”
In January 2023, Healy participated in a racist, misogynist commentary during an appearance on The Adam Friedland Show.
In January 2023, Healy appeared alongside Friedland and co-host Nick Mullen and engaged in several questionable lines of discussion.He mentioned messaging Ice Spice on Instagram, to which the podcast hosts responded with a slew of racist and misogynist comments about the rapper.
The host joked about the rapper sounding like an “Inuit Spice Girl”— even using a slur for Inuit people at one point—or a “chubby Chinese lady” and went on to mimic Chinese and Hawaiian accents.
At one point Healy also encouragedthe hosts in making impressions of Japanese people working in concentration camps. His apathy was criticized on Twitter by the artist YUNGBLUD, who tweeted, “Love listening to three privileged white dudes sit around and objectify a young Black female artist who’s blowing up.”
Healy later offered Ice Spice an apology during a concert in New Zealand, without actually taking any accountability for his behavior.“I just feel a bit bad, and I’m kind of a bit sorry if I’ve offended you. Ice Spice, I’m sorry. It’s not because I’m annoyed that me joking got misconstrued. It’s because I don’t want Ice Spice to think I’m a d-ck. I love you, Ice Spice. I’m so sorry.”
By mentioning his annoyance that his so-called attempt at humor was taken out of context, he put his own feelings at the forefront of the apology.
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Also in January 2023, Matty Healy kissed fans at concerts andblurred the lines of consent.
In recent appearances with The 1975, Healy has made a repeated show of kissing fans onstage, even going so far as to put a fan’s thumb in his mouth.
Healy asks for consent and checks fans’ ages before he does so, yet consent could be blurry in this situation, as his level of fame creates an imbalanced power dynamic between him and his fans.
Healy told Rolling Stone UK, “WhatI’m not moving into is my ‘anti-woke’ era,” though no one appears to be accusing him of that. He continued,“I won’t be doing any apologies nowadays. I’m not apologizing for stuff, just because I don’t think you should or I should or anyone should who isn’t a bigot or a racist or violent or a criminal. I don’t believe that I am. So, I just want to make sure there’s context so I don’t have to.”
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Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.
FAQs
What did Matty Healy say about Taylor Swift? ›
March 2016: Healy calls his relationship with Swift “a flirtation.” In a rather… polarizing interview from 2016 where he said dating Swift would be “emasculating,” Healy dismissed the relationship rumors as nothing more than a “flirtation” between the two.
Did Taylor Swift date Matty Healy? ›Taylor Swift and Matty Healy's relationship
They were initially linked in 2014, but Healy denied the dating rumors at that time.
Healy also casually mentioned how a woman was being “brutalized” in the video he was watching when someone walked in on him masturbating. He openly admitted to getting off on women being violently degraded, as if it were a wholly normal thing to be talking about.
Who is Matty to Taylor Swift? ›Matty Healy is best known as the charismatic lead singer of English pop band The 1975 and in recent weeks has come under renewed media attention for his rumored romance with Taylor Swift—but he's also been the subject of several of his own controversies throughout his years for insensitive comments and behavior.
What song did Halsey write about Matty Healy? ›Yooo Halsey's Colors has been released as a single and we're doing a fact track for it. We know the song is about her affair with the 1975's Matty Healy, but if y'all have any more inside dope about it drop the knowledge. "Colors" is about falling out of love with someone because they changed too much as a person.
Who did Taylor sing trouble about? ›Taylor Swift has admitted that her song I Knew You Were Trouble (from her current album 'Red') was written about One Direction's Harry Styles.
Who did Taylor Swift date at 18? ›Conor Kennedy
Swift dated Robert F. Kennedy's grandson, Conor Kennedy, for a few short months back in 2012. The unlikely duo did raise a couple of eyebrows given their respective ages at the time — Swift being 22 and Kennedy just 18.
The song "All Too Well," off "Red," is believed to be about Jake Gyllenhaal, whom Swift dated when she was 20 and he was 29.
Are Phoebe Bridgers and Matty Healy friends? ›The thing is, Matty and Phoebe have been friends and musical collaborators for a few years now. In a joint interview with Dazed, they revealed that they'd been fans of each other's work for yonks before they properly connected on Instagram.
Who was the fan that kissed Matty Healy? ›24-year-old bartender Isabella is from Dallas in Texas, but is originally from Mexico. She told SYSCA she had been a fan of The 1975 since 2014 and is in fact married! However, her husband seemed pretty chill about it and even messaged Matty to let him know he had “completed” his wife's life.
How do Phoebe Bridgers and Matty Healy know each other? ›
Matty and Phoebe became friends after sending each other DMs
Speaking with Zane Lowe for the New Music Daily feature, Phoebe revealed to Zane that she and Matty became fast friends after direct messaging each other.
Matty Healy Gets a Tattoo on Stage During The 1975 Concert: Watch. The chest tattoo reads "I'm a man." Matty Healy's on stage antics continued at a recent The 1975 concert in Kentucky where the frontman got a tattoo in the middle of a performance.
How many boyfriends have Taylor Swift had? ›Taylor Swift's Boyfriend Timeline: 12 Relationships & Their Songs| Billboard – Billboard.
How did Matty Healy and Taylor Swift meet? ›When did Taylor Swift and Matty Healy meet? The pair's journey began in 2014, when Swift gave Healy her number and wore a The 1975 tee in rapid succession; years later, in January of 2023 (just a few months before she split with longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn), Swift joined Healy's band in London.
How long did Taylor and Joe date? ›Swifties worldwide felt a collective sense of heartbreak on Saturday (April 8), when reports emerged that Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn have split after six years of dating.
Did Halsey date Matty? ›Halsey and Matty were briefly linked in 2015 after she was spotted at one of the group's concerts. It was later rumoured amongst fans that Halsey's song 'Colors' was inspired by their fling.
Why did Matty and Gabriella break up? ›Matty's longest relationship was with Australian model Gabriella Brooks, who is eight years his junior. The pair dated from 2015 to 2019, with Gabby reportedly dumping the star after she grew 'tired of his constant partying.'
Who is so good written about Halsey? ›"So Good" is a pop ballad about Halsey's long-term relationship with Turkish-American screenwriter Alev Aydin, who directed the song's music video and appears in it with Halsey.
What song did Harry right about Taylor? ›"Perfect" The second single from One Direction's fifth and final studio album, Made in the A.M., "Perfect" was co-written by Harry and Louis Tomlinson and is widely believed to be about the pop star, with James Corden directly asking Harry about the song's inspiration in a 2015 interview.
What is the Taylor music controversy? ›In June 2019, American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift came in dispute with her former record label, Big Machine Records, its founder Scott Borchetta, and new owner Scooter Braun, over the ownership of the master recordings of her first six studio albums.
What song did Taylor do about Harry? ›
The secret message behind the song: "Her heart belonged to someone who couldn't stay." Why it's about Harry Styles: The hit "1989" single, "Style," details a roller-coaster relationship, where the two people keep running around in circles, never really able to cut the ties for good.
What happened between Tom Hiddleston and Taylor? ›She tried to be OK with it in the beginning but fears he is in love with the idea of her and not falling in love with her for the right reasons." However, Taylor wasn't happy with Tom's desire to make their relationship so public and they ended up breaking up in August 2016.
How long was Taylor Swift's longest relationship? ›Joe Alwyn (2017-2023)
Actor Joe Alwyn was Taylor Swift's longest relationship to date, with the couple keeping their romance well out of the public eye.
Taylor dated 18-year-old Conor Kennedy for several months in 2012 (she was 23 at the time), and clearly she won over his legendary family. Conor's grandmother Ethel Kennedy later told People that Taylor “is just spectacular.
Did Taylor Swift date Zac Efron? ›Yesterday, Taylor Swift and Zac Efron appeared on Ellen to promote their new movie The Lorax. While their characters are romantically involved in the animated flick, Zac and Taylor swear, despite rumors, that they're just good friends.
Who did Taylor date at 26? ›May 16, 2017: Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn's relationship is first reported. Mike Marsland/Getty; Steve Granitz/WireImage. In May 2017, The Sun reported that Swift and Alwyn (who were 27 and 26 years old, respectively, at the time) were in a relationship.
Who dated Taylor Swift at 17? ›She also purchased a house right next to his. Additionally, Taylor dated Taylor Lautner when he was 17 and she was 20, and she dated Harry Styles when she was 23 and he was 18. So it turns out that, yes, Taylor did date a 17-year-old, although she was only 20 at the time and the relationship didn't last very long.
Is Phoebe Bridgers an introvert? ›I consider myself an introvert actually, but I'm fueled by people I enjoy.
Who was Phoebe Bridgers engaged to? ›While it was reported that Bridgers and Mescal were engaged, that has never been confirmed by the couple.
What is the meaning of chocolate in the 1975? ›The narrator sings about fleeing the police in his car with a stash of cannabis, with the term "chocolate" being a euphemism for cannabis.
Who did Matty kiss on stage? ›
Matty Healy & Ross MacDonald Share a Sweet Kiss During The 1975 Concert: 'Luckiest Girl in the World' The rock star duo locked lips while performing fan favorite track "Robbers."
Is Matty Healy the only singer in The 1975? ›The 1975 are an English pop rock band formed in 2002 in Wilmslow, Cheshire. Now based in Manchester, the band consists of lead vocalist, lyricist and rhythm guitarist Matty Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer and lyricist George Daniel.
Does Matty Healy have curly hair? ›The ultimate hair chameleon, musician Matty Healy's wavy quiff with sideburns is his most grown-up look yet. And MFH is here for it.
Who was Phoebe Bridgers inspired by? ›Bridgers is known for her hauntingly beautiful lyrics that explore themes of heartbreak, loneliness, and longing. Musical Influences Bridgers is heavily influenced by classic singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. Her music often incorporates elements of folk, country, and indie rock.
Does Phoebe Bridgers answer DMs? ›PB—I don't really check my Twitter DMs, and the only time it actually comes through is when I also follow the person, so it's just interactions with people. Lorde sent me a DM, I was like [gasps] afraid to open it.
Were Phoebe Bridgers from? › Who has Taylor's longest relationships? ›- JOE JONAS: JULY 2008 TO OCTOBER 2008.
- LUCAS TILL: MARCH 2009 TO APRIL 2009.
- TAYLOR LAUTNER: FALL 2009.
- JOHN MAYER: DECEMBER 2009 TO FEBRUARY 2010.
- JAKE GYLLENHAAL: OCTOBER 2010 TO JANUARY 2011.
- CONNOR KENNEDY: JULY 2012 TO OCTOBER 2012.
- HARRY STYLES: NOVEMBER 2012 TO JANUARY 2013.
- CALVIN HARRIS: FEBRUARY 2015 TO MAY 2016.
"And I'm damned sure I never would've danced with the devil at 19"---Taylor did not even meet Jake Gyllenhaal til the fall of 2010 months before her 21st birthday. When she was 19 she was dating John Mayer.
How old was Harry Styles when he dated Taylor Swift? ›Swift, 33, and Styles, 29, briefly dated from 2013-2014.
Who is Taylor Swift best friend? ›Taylor Swift's closest friend since high school, Abigail Anderson Berard, got to share a special moment with the star during the second night of The Eras Tour in Nashville on Saturday night (May 6).
Did Taylor Swift date Tom Hiddleston? ›
When asked if the relationship was real or just a publicity stunt, Hiddleston answered, "The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and we're very happy. Thanks for asking." Hiddleston later added, "That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt."
How many seconds did Joe break up with Taylor? ›The “Exile” singer and the Jonas Brothers musician made headlines in October 2008 when their messy split was exposed. After dating for three months, Swift revealed that Jonas broke up with her in 27 seconds on the phone.
Why was Taylor Swift in a suitcase? ›British Vogue used Malik's quote that Swift "was travelling around in a suitcase," to represent his intimate connections to the A-list world, so it's unclear when and where this luggage escapade took place. Perhaps when the two were working on Swift's hit 'I Don't Want to Live Forever. '
Who called Taylor Swift the Beatles of her generation? ›The letter F.
What happened to Taylor Swift when she was 21? ›SINGER Taylor Swift was left crying in a locked bathroom on her 21st birthday after then boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal didn't show up.
Did Tom Hiddleston love Taylor Swift? ›Hiddleston confirmed the whirlwind relationship in July, telling the Hollywood Reporter that it was not, in fact, a publicity stunt. "Well, um. How best to put this? The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together and we're very happy.
Did Taylor Swift go out with a 17 year old? ›For example, she dated Taylor Lautner when he was 17, and she was 20. She also dated Harry Styles when he was 18, and she was 23.
Was Taylor Swift with a 17 year old? ›She dated Conor Kennedy, of the famous Kennedy family, while he was 18 and still in high school. Taylor was 22 at the time, and the two met when Conor was still 17 and his mother had just died.
What song did paul McCartney write about Taylor Swift? ›And then in a twist at the end of that chorus is like "Who cares? I do"." McCartney cited American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift as his main inspiration for the song, said "I was actually thinking about Taylor Swift and her relationship to her young fans". The track was recorded at Henson Studios in Los Angeles.
Does Ringo Starr like Taylor Swift? ›When asked directly about his opinion of Taylor Swift, he said, “Taylor Swift. I love Taylor Swift, that's just how I am,” Starr goes on.
What did Billy Joel say about Taylor Swift? ›
“Taylor is also a very talented girl and she's productive and keeps coming up with great concepts and songs and she's huge,” Joel said of Swift. “You have to give her high marks. She knows music and she knows how to write. She's like that generation's Beatles.”
Did Jake Gyllenhaal skip Taylor Swift's birthday? ›She also references Jake failing to show up at her 21st birthday party in December 2010 — an anecdote that has been recounted multiple times in other songs and interviews, with Taylor describing being stood up by her boyfriend as "the worst experience ever."
How many men has Taylor Swift dated? ›Taylor Swift's Boyfriend Timeline: 12 Relationships & Their Songs.
Are Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift friends? ›Believe it or not, Taylor and Phoebe's friendship didn't really begin until 2021 when they collaborated on "Nothing New," a “From The Vault” bonus track that appeared on Taylor's re-recording of her 2012 fourth album, "Red (Taylor's Version)."