Skip to main content

They’re The 1975 from TikTok. Whether he’s eating raw meat or kissing fans on stage, Matty Healy has a knack for going viral on social media (and Being Funny in a Foreign Language).

The 1975 embarked on their ‘At Their Very Best’ tour

Matty Healy of The 1975 performs on Main Stage East on Day 1 of Leeds Festival
Matty Healy of The 1975 performs on Main Stage East on Day 1 of Leeds Festival | Matthew Baker/Getty Images

The 1975 are at their best and somehow — at their most TikTok-able. After releasing Being Funny in a Foreign Language, the band embarked on their The 1975: At Their Very Best tour, stopping at Madison Square Garden, The O2, and other major venues. 

What makes these performances unique is their split setlist. The first half of the concert was titled “The 1975 Presents: Being Funny in a Foreign Language.” The second half featured The 1975 “At Their Very Best,” complete with a changing set list and a required jumping moment during “The Sound.”

The “Consumption” interlude of The 1975’s concert drew attention to the band, even if the clips were taken wildly out of context. There were TikToks of the frontman stroking his crotch and doing pushups to a video of Ben Shapiro. 

While at Madison Square Garden, Healy took a massive bite out of a raw steak. The section ends with Healy crawling into a hollowed television set. Healy’s also had plenty of autotune moments, including shouting at security guards during “I Like America & America Likes Me.” 

“Someone’s falling down over there go and f****** sort it out instead of standing there like a bunch of dickheads,” the artist said into the autotune microphone, pointing to the audience. During one performance of “TOOTIME,” Healy referenced his viral “oi, no f****** fighting at my gig” quote.

Matty Healy kissed a male fan during ‘Robbers’

As a nod to 2014-era The 1975, Healy brought a fan onstage during “Robbers.” As seen in several video clips, he kissed her after singing, “You’d find out everything’s gone wrong.” Of course, the internet went crazy. 

As noted on Twitter, the fan had “so we making out” written on her phone before being brought on stage. She mentioned Healy asked for permission before their kiss and, after going viral on social media, shared her love for the band.

At another concert, Healy brought a male fan on stage for the same “Robbers” moment. He later tweeted The 1975’s singer whispered “are you ready” before going for the kiss. The moment also became a top trending topic on Twitter.

Related

The 1975 Is Back — Our Review and Analysis of ‘Being Funny in a Foreign Language’

The 1975 is truly ‘Being Funny in a Foreign Language’

A recurring theme in the group’s album is staying current in the ever-changing social media landscape. With a new, younger generation absorbing content, “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” could be interpreted as Matty Healy’s grasp at and appeal to Gen Z.

Healy even joked about the band’s online popularity at Corona Capital 2022, saying, “We’re The 1975 from TikTok.” Of course, The 1975’s music is available on most major streaming platforms.