Matty Healy might be one of the biggest frontmen on the planet right now but he’s also one of the most controversial figures in the music industry too, as those watching Glastonbury found out after Rina Sawayama called him out live on stage in front of thousands.
The 32-year-old singer, actress and model was performing on the Woodsies on Saturday, 24 June, when she decided to dedicate her song ‘STFU!’ to The 1975 singer, songwriter and guitarist following a number of offensive remarks he made or was involved with on a recent US podcast episode.
Healy, 34, appeared on The Adam Friedland Show back in February, during which he made a series of comments that many labelled inappropriate and racist, such as watching a porn genre which degrades Black women as well as joining in speculating about rapper Ice Spice’s ethnicity and discussing her body.
The Wilmslow-bred musician also went on to laugh when the hosts mocked the artist with attempts at Chinese, Hawaiian and Japanese accents, to which Sawayama — who was born in Japan before moving to London as a child — responded by screaming “I’ve had enough!” to the Glastonbury crowd.
Rina Sawayama shames label-mate Matty Healy for his racist remarks live at Glastonbury.
As you can see in the clip below, the recent John Wick 4 star said, “I wrote this because I was sick and tired of these micro-aggressions. This goes out to a white man that watches ‘ghetto gaggers’ and mocks Asian people on a podcast.”
She then went on to say, “He also owns my masters” — with Sawayama and The 1975 both belonging to Dirty Hit Records, of which Healy was creative director and is one of multiple shareholders — before adding defiantly, “I’ve had enough!” before being met with rapturous cheers and applause for the crowd.
It is worth noting that Healy’s role as a director has since ended in the time since the podcast controversy, with online records showing that his contract in that capacity was terminated after five years back in April, though it’s unclear if the decision is linked.
Elsewhere in the podcast, Healy also suggested that Harry Styles of “queerbaiting” fans and also made jokes about women’s synchronising while on their periods, which also upset many people, fans or otherwise. Regarding his Ice Spice comments, he apologised on stage this past April.
“This is Matty Healy PR damage control considering what he said about Ice Spice” that collab was planned months ago and Matty already apologized to Ice Spice. They’re probably on good terms now otherwise she wouldn't have agreed to the collab getting released now. Let’s move on. pic.twitter.com/rjvZrgwcpm
Nevertheless, The 1975’s 2018 single ‘Sincerity is Scary’ seems fitting here, as many still feel that there wasn’t much genuine remorse in his apology, especially given his comments in an interview with The New Yorker a month later where he said, “it doesn’t actually matter.”
He went on multiple-award winning musician insisted, “Nobody is sitting there at night slumped at their computer, and their boyfriend comes over and goes, ‘What’s wrong, darling?’ and they go, ‘It’s just this thing with Matty Healy.’ That doesn’t happen.”
He even went so far as to say, “If it does [offend people], you’re either deluded or you are, sorry, a liar. You’re either lying that you are hurt, or you’re a bit mental for being hurt. It’s just 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.”
Neither Healy nor Dirty Hit are yet to issue a response following Rina Sawayama’s comments at Glastonbury but it’s certainly sparked quite the discussion online surrounding a public figure who is well-accustomed to being amongst the headlines for his antics, being on or off-stage.
'I'm not the biggest 1975 fan but he's absolutely mugged him off here'. 😂https://t.co/jx9S7zGXdy
Featured Image — Rina Sawayama/The 1975 (via Instagram)
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Honorary Manc Ariana Grande announces huge world tour – but skips Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Ariana Grande has announced details of a huge world tour, but the honorary Mancunian will be skipping Manchester again.
The 32-year-old, Grammy Award-winning star has instead booked five nights at The O2 in London for her only UK stop on the tour.
Ariana Grande was made an honorary Mancunian back in 2017, in recognition of her work following the Manchester Arena terror attack.
She is the first person to have ever received this honour.
Since the atrocity in the city, which took the lives of 22 people, Ariana has only performed here twice more – once at the One Love concert she organised as a fundraiser for the victims and their families, and once as a headliner of Manchester Pride.
It’s been six years since her last tour, but Ariana Grande is now back, sharing details of her hotly-anticipated The Eternal Sunshine Tour next summer.
As well as her five-night residency in London, she’ll play four nights in LA and Brooklyn, as well as cities right across North America.
Ariana Grande has announced The Eternal Sunshine Tour
Her London dates will be her only European shows on The Eternal Sunshine Tour.
Eternal Sunshine was released in 2024 and was her seventh studio album, spawning singles ‘Yes, And?’, ‘We Can’t Be Friends’, and ‘The Boy Is Mine’.
Ariana Grande is now also an Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actress thanks to her starring role in Wicked as Glinda the Good Witch.
Tickets for her tour will go on sale from Tuesday 16 September with an artist presale as well as an O2 Priority Presale. Remaining tickets will be available during the general ons-ale beginning Thursday 18 September at 10am.
Ariana Grande – The Eternal Sunshine Tour Dates 2026
A rising Manc musician is supporting a global popstar on tour in America
Danny Jones
Up-and-coming Greater Manchester musician Elliot James Reay, from just down the road in Bury, has just joined fellow rising solo artist and already established US superstar Benson Boone on his upcoming American tour.
Yes, a lad from Bury is opening for the bloke who belts out that ‘Beautiful Things’ tune that’s been stuck near the top of the charts for what feels like the last year.
Fittingly joining Boone for the US leg of his American Heart tour supporting his sophomore album of the same name, 23-year-old Elliot James Reay has already played a trio of shows warming up the crowds ahead of the headliner and is quickly gaining new fans across the pond.
Especially since his music harkens back to some of their most famous music icons of all time.
The youngster is still having to pinch himself at the mere notion of being on the road with such a big name so early in his career, posting on social media this week, “How do I explain this one to my friends back in Bury?
“A dream come true to be opening for Benson Boone in St Paul last night, I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to sing to you all and thank you for all the love you gave me!”
Roy Orbison-obsessed Raey – who also takes plenty of look and feel from the likes of Elvis and Billy Fury, among other old school, soulful American singers – has gone from releasing covers on YouTube to dropping his first-ever EP back in June and now playing full Stateside stadiums.
What a whirlwind journey it’s been for the local lad already.
The Manc songwriter and guitarist featured as one of our artists of the month last December, and we’re glad to see he’s only gone from strength to strength.
It’s fair to say that he’s matured a lot in the time since then, let alone the last 12 months or so, and booking a slot as a support act for as big as Benson Boone is right now is nothing short of huge.
We said late last year, and we’ll say it again: we see a bright future ahead for this talented young Macunian, and we wish him all the best for the dozen or so remaining US tour dates.
If you haven’t listened to his stuff before, you can get a little taste with his latest single HERE.
Or, if you want to take our advice, why not watch a great music video filmed around some very familiar city centre sites down below?
He’s certainly got his own style, even if it his heavily inspired by some of the greats.