Jade Thirlwall Has a Bone to Pick With Matty Healy

Photo: Joseph Okpako/WireImage

There are so many reasons to dislike Matty Healy that you don’t even have to be a Swiftie to find one. Take former Little Mix member Jade Thirlwall, who spoke to the Guardian about her vocal support for Palestine and the role of politics in the music industry — namely, who has the luxury of staying silent about Gaza and who does not. “As someone of Arab heritage I’ve seen people turning a blind eye to the Middle Eastern tragedy,” said Thirlwall. “I don’t think you can be a pop artist and cover your eyes. I saw Matty Healy say that he doesn’t want to be political, which I found disappointing.”

“It’s very easy for someone who’s white and straight and very privileged to say that,” Thirlwall added. “Good for you, hun!”

Thirlwall is seemingly referring to a speech the 1975 frontman delivered at a June concert, where he announced that he did not want the band’s legacy to be “one of politics.” He went on: “I’m not trying to be too earnest, but you can go out into the world and there’s loads of politics everywhere. We don’t need more politics. We need more love and friendship.” This from a man who’s thrown up a supposedly ironic Nazi salute during at least one show.

Thirlwall, on the other hand, has been an outspoken advocate for human rights: In 2015, she commandeered the Little Mix Twitter account to condemn the British Parliament’s vote to bomb Syria. Earlier this year, she led a “Fuck you” chant while headlining the Glastonbury Festival, speaking out against UK policies like “silencing protests” and “justifying genocide.” Sounds more powerful than “love and friendship” to me.