Kelly Smyth explores the reputation of the ever divisive ‘The 1975’ frontman Matty Healy.
Whether you live online or under a rock, you’ve heard of Matty Healy. At 35, Healy is the lead vocalist and songwriter for the English pop rock band The 1975 - renowned for familiar songs like ‘Chocolate’, ‘The Sound’ and ‘Somebody Else’. However, the band’s frontman is notorious for more than just his music. From being Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriend to threatening to “slap” Azelia Banks via X (formerly known as Twitter), Matty Healy is a man that pop culture can’t make their minds up about.
On a surface level, Healy could be seen as a nepo-baby. His mother, Denise Welch, is an iconic UK television star and broadcaster. Welch, 65, has starred in shows such as Loose Women and Coronation Street and is regularly spotted taking snaps with fans at Healy’s shows. His father, Timothy Malcolm Healy, is also no stranger to the spotlight, known for playing Les Conroy in Benidorm. While they may not be global superstars, they are certainly well-known figures within the UK. Despite showing no interest in acting, Healy's musical roots can be linked to his godfather and AC/DC member, Brian Johnson.
In a 2013 interview with The Guardian, Healy detailed his parents’ connections further: how the first guitar he ever played was used by Dire Straits. In the same interview, Healy stated, “I think if you want to judge me for who my parents are then you'd have to do the same thing with Jagger and Cobain.” While The 1975 are often praised for their ‘organic’ rise to fame, it could be argued their frontman had a comfortable fallback to spend more time on his music career.
In 2023, he and the band were temporarily imprisoned in Malaysia for protesting anti-LGBT laws in the country, which ultimately led to the Good Vibes Festival being cancelled.
Nepo-baby or not, his vocal support for the LGBTQ+ community is something worth noting. From making donations to LGBTQ+ charities to performing at an LGBTQ+ benefit show in 2022, Healy has made a point of being an ally.
In 2019, he risked 10 years in prison for kissing a man on stage and displaying a Pride Flag in Dubai. In 2023, he and the band were temporarily imprisoned in Malaysia for protesting anti-LGBT laws in the country, which ultimately led to the Good Vibes Festival being cancelled. Healy defended his and Ross MacDonald’s actions, saying, “To eliminate any routine part of the show to appease the Malaysian authorities’ bigoted views of LGBTQ people would be a passive endorsement of those politics.” This act received mixed reactions at the time, with The Guardian slating it as a “white saviour complex” while activist Peter Tatchell praised him for “drawing global attention to Malaysia’s persecution of its queer citizens.” While Healy’s allyship is admirable, some might think it is a performative part of his wild persona - with questions of why he wouldn’t donate money to LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in Malaysia instead of a bold on-stage protest being raised at the time.
During his time dating megastar Taylor Swift, Healy found himself in yet another swirl of controversy. In January of 2023, Healy appeared to do a Nazi salute while singing “Thank you Kanye, very cool!” about President Donald Trump’s support for Kanye West. This was interpreted by fans as Healy showing support for Kanye’s past antisemitic comments and praise of Hitler. However, he later spoke about Kanye on The Adam Friedland Show Podcast - “[Kanye is] obviously someone who is dealing with grief and has mental health issues, but that’s not an excuse to do, like, antisemitism.” While it is clear Healy has backtracked on his views, one could wonder where he presently stands on Kanye’s most recent actions in 2025 - in which he expressed further antisemitic views and open support for Nazi ideology.
Following his appearance on The Adam Friedland Show Podcast, Healy was also heavily criticized for racist comments made against rapper Ice Spice, referring to her as a “chubby Chinese lady” and an “Inuit Spice Girl.” Healy also made an imitation of a Chinese accent. Following the criticism, Healy made an (admittedly weak) attempt to apologise publicly for his insensitive comments about Ice Spice at a gig in New Zealand, saying “I don’t want Ice Spice to think I’m a dick. I love you Ice Spice.” Ice Spice later told Variety that two have since spoken and moved on from the ordeal.
Needless to say, Healy's privilege has afforded him the luxury of a loose tongue. While his on-stage antics and attempts at advocacy may be admired by some, his status as a so-called ‘cultural icon’ is afforded to him by a comfortable upbringing and a lack of need for a more relativist perspective on real-world issues.