During a highly-anticipated performance at the Good Vibes Festival in Malaysia, the popular pop band, The 1975, made headlines when lead singer Matty Healy and bassist Ross McDonald shared an onstage kiss during their rendition of 'I Like America and America Likes Me.'
The unexpected kiss was seen as a powerful statement in support of LGBT rights, but it clashed with the views of the Malaysian government, resulting in the band's set being abruptly cut short by thirty minutes.
Prior to the controversial moment, Matty Healy addressed the audience, expressing his frustration with the country's restrictive ordinances and passionately defending the fans, stating that they should not be held accountable for their government's stance on the matter.
He revealed that the band had considered canceling the show altogether, but ultimately decided against it, not wanting to disappoint their devoted fans.
After the controversial kiss, The 1975 performed one more song before exiting the stage, with Healy announcing their ban from performing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As a consequence of the shortened set, some anticipated songs such as 'Robbers,' 'Somebody Else,' and 'I'm In Love With You' were regrettably not performed that night.
The organizers of the Good Vibes Festival responded to the incident, expressing regret that the set had to be curtailed due to "non-compliance with local performance guidelines."