Matt Healy, lead singer of British pop rock band The 1975, has caused quite a stir with his recent on-stage behaviour on the band’s tour of their latest album Being Funny In A Foreign Language. While boybands are constantly associated with having something for everyone, Healy strives to be different and stand out in front of his audience.
Healy’s onstage behaviour has sparked an interest in the media. Kissing fans, eating raw meat, taking naps, dancing provocatively and shouting at security guards are all a part of his performance throughout the band’s At Their Very Best concert tours.
The 1975 demonstrate an entire performance on stage, transcending the act of simply playing their music. The performance takes place in the setting of a house where Healy performs in a controversial and though-provoking way, staying loyal to the band’s original style of never doing what is expected and making headlines.
It begs the question as to whether Healy’s behaviour is as part of an act, to ensure that concert clips go viral or whether he has stopped caring about the regulations and basic conduct usually carried out on stage.
Healy’s decision to invite his fans on stage to kiss has been met with mixed reactions on Twitter. The singer asked for consent and has given people the chance to fulfil a fantasy, to embrace their idol on stage in plain view of his audience.
As for meat-eating on stage, Healy’s performance demonstrates a kind of animalistic behaviour. It appears he is living on stage; stopping for a cigarette, taking a nap and dancing like no one is watching.
His value for artistic behaviour and a need to fight against patriarchal views is voiced on his social media accounts where he explains the “Jester’s Privilege” which is described as the ‘ability and right of a jester to talk and mock freely without being punished; for nothing he says seems to matter’. His frustration at the failures in society is expressed on stage as he does whatever he pleases.
The performance of the band is an interesting turn of events in the world of pop music as people have become accustomed to the typical boyband experience and would not expect to witness the theatrical antics of Matt Healy or be invited to partake in the performance itself.
