"I'm Sorry, Mum" — Heartbroken Talitha Slams Matty Healy For His Controversial Behaviour
Talitha Tan's performance on the last day of Good Vibes Festival was to be the first after losing her mother in a tragic incident a month ago.
By Sadho Ram — 25 Jul 2023, 04:28 PM
The cancellation of Good Vibes Festival 2023, following The 1975 frontman Matty Healy's on-stage behaviour, has affected several artistes, including Malaysian singer and songwriter Talitha Tan
Tan, who was slated to perform on 23 July, the last day of the three-day music festival, is heartbroken.
She took to Instagram to express her disappointment while sharing screenshots of DMs she sent to The 1975 frontman. In her DMs, Tan called out Healy for throwing a "f-cking tantrum on stage in Malaysia" and leaving behind scores of people to suffer the consequences of his "reckless ignorance".
Healy kissed his male bandmate Ross MacDonald at the festival on Friday night, 21 July, called the Malaysian government a "bunch of f-cking r-tards", and criticised local anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
His actions and remarks prompted the government to cancel the festival entirely.
According to Tan, her performance on the last day of the festival was to be the first after losing her mother in a tragic incident a month ago
In one of her Instagram Stories, the 27-year-old singer posted a tearful selfie that she captioned, "To everyone who was going to come watch me perform on Sunday at GVF. I am so f-cking sorry. [It was supposed to be a] performance dedicated to my mum. And also to anyone who has suffered the pain of losing a loved one. I am sorry I didn't get to dedicate this to you. Mummy, I owe you my life."
Tan also uploaded a photo of her late mother
In the caption of the post, Tan wrote, "The first performance after my mum's death, for me to be able to dedicate a freaking set for her is now cancelled. Mummy, I am so so sorry."
The body of Jenny Wong, the mother of Tan, was discovered at a waterfall in Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor, following a trip to the area with a friend. Tragically, their bodies were found trapped between rocks, believed to have been swept away by the powerful current resulting from heavy rainfall upstream.
In her post, Tan also called out the English pop-rock band for their "selfishness and inability" to adjust or respect different cultures due to their "white saviour complex" that allows them to go back to their country "thinking you did an 'amazing' thing for Malaysia's 'young people'".
"Malaysia is not perfect. But man, I am shattered. I feel sorry for the GVF team, I feel sorry for all the performers who have worked so hard on showcasing their music. So yeah, Matty Healy, I am furious at you and your white privilege, thanks for nothing," she wrote while tagging the singer in her post.
Meanwhile, the incident has sparked conversations within Malaysia's entertainment industry about the responsibility of artistes when performing in countries with different cultural norms and values
On the policy front, the Ministry of Communications and Digital (KKD) will now tighten entry requirements for foreign artistes to hold concerts and performances in the country, according to its Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi explained that the initiative entails a thorough review of guarantees provided by organisers for foreign artistes to ensure compliance with the country's laws and regulations. Additionally, the KKD will collaborate with the Committee for Foreign Films and Performances of Foreign Artists (JK-PUSPAL) to conduct research and screening to assess the conduct of these artistes.
