The 1975 to headline Reading Festival after Matty Healy said he wouldn’t play gender-imbalanced festivals

Musician tweeted in 2020 that only playing gender-balanced festivals was ‘how male artist can be true allies’

The 1975 will headline Reading and Leeds Festival, despite Matty Healy saying he would no longer perform at gender-imbalanced festivals.

On Thursday (11 August), it was announced that Rage Against the Machine are no longer able to headline the British festivals after 52-year-old frontman Zack de la Rocha was medically advised to cancel their European tour. The band did not provide specific health details.

It was then revealed that The 1975, who haven’t played in the UK since 2020, would be their replacement.

However, frontman Healy had previously pledged in 2020 to only perform at festivals with gender-balanced line-ups.

Responding to criticism of the male-dominated line-up at that year’s Reading and Leeds Festival by journalist Laura Snapes, Healy tweeted that she was “so right” regarding gender imbalances on the stage (via NME).

When Snapes suggested that Healy should put on his rider that he’d only play festivals with at least 50 per cent female and non-binary acts, Healy tweeted: “Take this as me signing this contract.”

Explaining that he would fulfil his current commitments so as not to let down fans, he added: “From now I will and believe this is how male artist can be true allies.”

Reading and Leeds is one of the festivals most often criticised for a lack of female and non-binary artists.

“We recognise that there is a widely reported gender imbalance on the performers at Reading festival,” their website reads.

The Independent has contacted The 1975’s representatives for comment.