The 1975's lead singer Matty Healy says that going forward, the band will only play festivals that have gender-balanced line-ups.
The commitment was in response to a tweet from The Guardian's deputy music editor Laura Snape, who said, "do it MH, add a condition to your rider that says you’ll only play festivals that commit to X% (ideally 50%!) acts that include women and non binary performers."
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Their conversation originated as a result of the recent Reading and Leeds line-up, which featured a very low ratio of female to male acts.
Matty responded to Laura, saying, "Take this as me signing this contract - I have agreed to some festivals already that may not adhere to this and I would never let fans down who already have tickets. But from now I will and believe this is how male artist can be true allies."
Take this as me signing this contract - I have agreed to some festivals already that may not adhere to this and I would never let fans down who already have tickets. But from now I will and believe this is how male artist can be true allies ?? https://t.co/1eaZG2hEze
— ???? (@Truman_Black) February 12, 2020
He followed up the tweet in an interview with the Guardian, saying that it was an issue important to him.
“When it comes to big sociopolitical issues and governments are involved, sometimes action or protest can just be ignored. But when it comes to the music industry, we can change that,” he said.
“It’s not a geopolitical nightmare: it’s the music industry, and it’s something that if everyone gets on board, we can fix.”
Fair play to Matty and the 1975 - we only hope that other acts follow suit.
