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.”
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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.
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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.
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.”
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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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Alison Moyet has announced a huge European tour, including multiple Northern dates in the UK
Danny Jones
Seasoned British singer-songwriter and pop legend Alison Moyet is coming back to Manchester and more after announcing an extensive run of 2026 EU, UK and IE tour dates.
No rest for the wickedly talented and long adored.
Alison Moyet last visited Manchester in February last year, playing the stunning Bridgewater Hall in support of her latest album, Key, the 10th studio LP of her solo career.
However, now the 64-year-old artist and music veteran is set to play songs from her eighth record, the minutes, as well astracks from her days with Yazoo and more across Europe.
NEW: @alisonmoyet is headed on tour! Playing songs of Yazoo, including cuts from the minutes & Other, with a date at #O2ApolloManchester Fri 16 Oct.
— O2 Apollo Manchester (@O2ApolloManc) March 9, 2026
Moyet (real name Geneviève Alison Jane Ballard) formed Yazoo with ex-Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke in 1981, releasing two albums and becoming one of the most influential British groups of the time.
While clashes on multiple fronts saw the synth-pop duo ultimately break up in ’83, a handful of Yazoo hits like ‘Only You’, ‘Don’t Go’ and ‘Situation’ have continued to crop up in the Basildon-born artists over the years.
Once nicknamed ‘Alf’ as a youth – the same title she gave to her seminal debut album, released the year after the split – the young ‘tomboy’, turned teen punk, then synth, soul and pop act has experimented with everything from electronica to printmaking.
Put simply, she remains just as much of a creative force today as she was back then.
2025 saw her first full headline tour in eight years, playing shows not just here and over in Ireland, but across the mainland continent, Australia and New Zealand.
This current calendar will also see her touring with fellow 80s icons The Human League and Soft Cell on their ‘The Generations Tour’ in the summer – but by the autumn, she’ll be rolling back the years and working through her own back catalogue.
As you can see, as well as coming to Manchester’s O2 Apollo, other dates to see Alison Moyet live in the North this October include the Empire Theatre in Liverpool, Sheffield‘s City Hall, Buxton, Blackpool and several others.
Speaking on the upcoming tour, Alison said: “Many years touring the same pool of songs, and I am keen for a palate refresher.
“Specifying which years I will be fishing from, too, I think, is a grand way to serve potluck for specific tastes. No bones…” Ever the wordsmith.
The domestic pre-sale window here opens at 10am this coming Wednesday, 11 March, with general admission tickets going live at the same time the following Friday (13 Mar); you can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
Oh, and if you were wondering how her live performances sound these days, look no further than her recent Isle of Wight slot.
Featured Images — Publicity picture (supplied)/Hinnerk Rümenapf (via Wikimedia Commons)
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A special The Smiths reissue was cancelled due to a dispute between Morrissey and Johnny Marr
Danny Jones
According to some new information, a special reissue of The Smiths’ debut album was reportedly abandoned due to disagreements between Morrissey and Johnny Marr.
Since the Gallagher brothers have buried the hatchet, guess someone’s got to keep the Manchester music feuding alive.
Yes, as per a high-profile source from Rough Trade, ‘Moz’ and Marr couldn’t settle on one key issue which would have seen the self-titled first Smiths LP re-released for their label and indie record store’s 50th anniversary.
Speaking on the German music podcast, Vinyl &…, one of Rough Trade’s European bosses revealed that aside from not exactly being chummy these days, the band’s two most famous members couldn’t agree on what the album artwork would be.
Whack on English subtitles to see what was said.
Yes, that really was the main sticking point, apparently.
Curt Keplin, who is the managing director for Rough Trade’s EU presence, said that The Smiths were a big part of their golden jubilee/half-century celebrations.
Sadly, The Smiths’ inaugural outing then had to be pulled from the plans at the last minute, with the ‘Smooth Operator’ herself, Sade, taking their place.
Initially set to fly the flag for the 1984 retrospective, Keplin said: “Actually, The Smiths were supposed to be included, but Johnny Marr and Morrissey couldn’t agree on how the packaging should look. So, things remain relatively difficult between those two.”
‘Difficult’ is probably putting it mildly, with Morrissey having long since accused his former bandmate, lead guitarist and co-songwriter turned solo artist, of controlling key rights that could see him tour as The Smiths without him.
He went on to add: “You first have to find an artist who is basically open to it and thinks it’s great and then gives us the rights – or rather, the label then says, ‘Ok, this is now being repressed in a different colour, in new packaging’, and so on and so forth.”
The anniversary stuff first began being compiled last summer, with 2026 being the start of a year-long schedule of limited edition vinyl releases and more – but unfortunately, The Smiths aren’t looking like they’ll be part of it.
While it may seem slightly petty to some, more than anything, it’s probably just symptomatic of the simmering resentment between the two that still remains.
However, fans of either or both have still been treated to Morrissey‘s latest and divisive drop, Make-Up Is a Lie, and Johnny Marr will be coming back to town for a massive homecoming gig at Castlefield Bowl.
Danny Jones -
26th June 2023 
