He’s part of the band. Singer Matty Healy has made headlines over the years for his onstage antics — and for his personal life.
Healy, 34, rose to fame in 2013 with the release of The 1975’s self-titled debut album, but the band was formed more than a decade prior with his childhood pals Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald and George Daniel. Their singles “Chocolate,” “Sex” and “Robbers” helped launch the group to mainstream success.
The 1975 has since released four more records from 2016 to 2022. Their journey to the top of the charts, however, wasn’t easy as Healy struggled with drug addiction. His bandmates funded his 2017 rehab stay in Barbados.
“Honestly, it’s difficult for me because my whole fear was becoming a beacon of sobriety and I’m not that anyway. And, you know, I’ve had my issues over the last two years,” he told GQ in 2019, reflecting on his highs and lows. “I’ve not had a habit at any point and I’ve not really gone back to it, but I’ve had a slip or two. But I’m getting better with it every day, really.”
Healy has penned plenty of tracks about addiction — including “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” — and referenced his sobriety on “Part of the Band,” hinting that he hasn’t “picked up” in “1,400 days, 9 hours and 16 minutes.” While chatting to Vulture in 2020, Healy noted that his being clean also benefited the band.
“It would have made me an actual cliché,” he said of continuing to abuse drugs. “And then all of my jokes in my songs about being a cliché wouldn’t land.”
The “Sound” singer hasn’t just faced ups and downs behind closed doors — he’s also been the subject of scrutiny in the public eye. Healy has deleted and returned to social media several times over the years after sharing controversial posts and outrageous opinions. His onstage behavior has also drawn criticism.
“I was soft-canceled, you know? Also canceling isn’t a thing. If you do something criminal and loads of people find out about it, that’s not being canceled. That’s just what happens now if you’re a criminal,” he told The New York Times in 2022, referring to one of several times he wiped his presence from social media amid backlash. “Saying something and people trying to censor you, whatever.”
He added: “The deletion of my Twitter was not because I was scared. … I just feel sorry for kids that are drowning in whatever: self-hatred, the burdens of social media, even wokeness.”
Along with creating meme-worthy moments — Healy went viral on TikTok during the band’s 2022 tour for quipping jokes in an autotune voice — the “She’s American” artist has also been linked to some A-list celebrities over the years. He’s sparked dating rumors with models, movie stars and fellow musicians.
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