This article contains references to racism.
Matty Healy, the lead singer of The 1975, is facing criticism after a clip resurfaced of him appearing to ridicule Ice Spice, real name Isis Gaston, an exciting new artist who had previously expressed her admiration for his band.
A viral TikTok clip shows Ice Spice saying that she listens to alternative music, noting that she's “obsessed” with The 1975. The clip then cuts to a recording of a podcast, The Adam Friedland Show, in which Matty Healy admits that he's previously DM'd Ice Spice. He then laughs as Friedland describes her as “one of the Inuit Spice Girls”, a “chubby Chinese lady”, and as the hosts mocked various accents. In response, Matty said, “Yeah, that's what Ice Spice is like.”
Matty is then asked, “So you slide into her DMs and ask ‘What are you? A f*cking Eskimo or something?’” To which he replies, “Yeah, that's what I was like, you f*cking…” before saying something unintelligible.
The podcast episode contained several offensive references, including Matty encouraging the hosts to do impressions of Japanese people working in concentration camps.
Fellow musician Yung Blud reportedly criticised the conversation, tweeting, “love listening to three privileged white dudes sit around and objectify a young black female artist who’s blowing up. welcome to your 30’s i guess …”
Beyond Yung Blud's comments – which Healy later appeared to mock in an Instagram Story – the music industry's response to the controversial podcast episode was effectively non-existent. What incentive do young women have to pursue careers in music if they're going to be subjected to such horrendous misogyny and racism?
While it is unclear whether Healy has apologised for his comments (GLAMOUR has reached out to his representatives for clarification), the response on social media has been damning.
One person tweeted, “Ice Spice complimented the 1975 for Matty Healy to talk sh[*]t about her and be racist,” while another wrote, “I liked Matty Healy until he that shit about ice spice AND the racist comments.” Another simply added, “Ice Spice could do any 1975 song but Matty Healy could NEVER do what she did on boy’s a liar.”
X content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
X content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
X content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
It should be noted that while Matty laughed along at the misogynistic, racist comments about Ice Spice, he didn't make the comments himself. Does this matter? Well, yes.
Misogyny and racism within the music industry (or anywhere) will fester if we don't call it out. As a man, Matty Healy has enormous power to influence other men. Yes, it might have made for uncomfortable listening. But these conversations are meant to be uncomfortable. That's how change happens.
It's particularly unsettling that this entire conversation stemmed from Healy wanting to flirt with Ice Spice by sliding into her DMs. The fact that Healy felt able to laugh along while a young woman he'd attempted to flirt with was objectified and ridiculed is a sickening reminder that women's power – even if it's just their right to ignore a DM – is subject to men's approval.
In a powerful interview with Erykah Badu (via Interview), Ice Spice spoke about why women are dominating the music industry, explaining, “Girls are just easier to look at. If there’s ten guys in the room, but one girl, we’re all going to look at the girl. We just have this goddess energy about us, and the guys don’t have that extra sense. They’re cool, though.”
She's right; women do bring goddess energy to the music industry. And it's about time men like Matty Healy respected it.
GLAMOUR UK has approached Matty Healy and Ice Spice for comment. This article will be kept updated.
For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Jamie Foxx, Axl Rose and Jimmy Iovine have all been accused.
