Matty Healy, the lead singer of The 1975, is facing backlash and responding to criticism following a controversial appearance on The Adam Friedland Show. The episode, which took place in February, garnered attention due to a discussion about the rapper Ice Spice, during which Healy and the hosts engaged in impersonations of different accents and debated her ethnicity.
The podcast episode has since been removed from streaming platforms due to the backlash it received.
When asked if he intentionally baited his fans, Healy admitted to doing so to some extent but dismissed the significance of the criticism, stating that nobody would be genuinely upset about it.
However, writer Jia Tolentino pushed back, suggesting that people could indeed be hurt by such comments. Healy responded by stating that anyone claiming to be hurt is either lying or mentally unstable, viewing their reactions as an attempt to demonstrate their own moral superiority.
Since the initial backlash, Healy has expressed regret over his comments about Ice Spice. During a concert in New Zealand, he apologized to the crowd and to Ice Spice, emphasizing that he did not want her to perceive him as mean-spirited. Healy has faced previous criticism for his behavior, including kissing fans on stage and appearing to reenact the Nazi salute during a performance.
There are rumors of Healy dating Taylor Swift, as they have been seen together and attended each other’s concerts. The backlash surrounding his comments about Ice Spice intensified following Swift’s release of a new song and music video featuring the rapper. Despite the controversy, Healy has made it clear that he is not interested in being “publicly correct” and values being wrong as a means for personal growth and understanding what is right.
