Kid Laroi surprised fans over the weekend by performing an impromptu set at a hotel bar in Kuala Lumpur.
The 19-year-old Australian hitmaker was due to take the stage in Malaysia as a headliner at the Good Vibes Festival on Saturday but was canceled after The 1975 stage kissing controversy.
Kid Laroi, whose real name is Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard, said he was “drunk” but desperate to perform for the fans.
According Billboardshe sang several of her hit songs, including Stay, Diva, and Thousand Miles.
Two things before we start. I’m very drunk, number one. Ever since the show got cancelled, I had no choice but to go straight to the bar. So here I am,’ he reportedly told the crowd.
Kid Laroi surprised fans over the weekend by performing an impromptu set at a hotel bar in Kuala Lumpur. The 19-year-old Australian hitmaker was due to take the stage in Malaysia as a headliner at the Good Vibes Festival on Saturday but was canceled after The 1975 stage kissing controversy.
“Today I’m with my friends, and I thought since everything is canceled and I’m here anyway, I might as well come and do a couple of songs. Thanks to the hotel for letting me do this,’ she added.
For the impromptu performance, Laroi kept things casual in a maroon and white striped T-shirt and cap.
The 1975s were banned in Malaysia and the entire Good Vibes Music Festival was canceled after frontman Healy kissed his male bandmate onstage.
Healy, 34, who recently made headlines for his whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift, criticized Malaysia’s anti-gay laws in a profanity-filled speech at the Kuala Lumpur festival, before kissing bassist Ross MacDonald.
The 1975s were banned in Malaysia and the entire Good Vibes Music Festival was canceled after frontman Healy kissed his male bandmate onstage.
Homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia and laws criminalizing sodomy are punishable by imprisonment.
LGBTQ people in the country also face regular discrimination from authorities, and human rights groups have been warned of growing intolerance.
Healy hit back at hardline Malaysian officials who banned her from performing in the country after the kiss to protest its anti-LGBT laws.
The 1975 have now canceled two upcoming tour dates in Asia.
The English pop-rock group announced that performances at We The Fest in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday and at the Taipei Music Center in Taiwan on Tuesday will not continue before their US tour begins next month.
Healy, 34, who recently made headlines for his whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift, criticized Malaysia’s anti-gay laws in a profanity-filled speech at the Kuala Lumpur festival, before kissing bassist Ross MacDonald. (pictured at the Brit Awards in 2019)
On Sunday, Healy also posted a series of snaps with bassist MacDonald to hint at a very close relationship between the two and mock the ban.
The singer responded openly to the ban and cancellation of the festival, writing: ‘Ok well why don’t you try not making out with Ross for 20 years? It is not as easy as it looks.’
He also shared a video of a speech by author and speaker Christopher Hitchens in the midst of the AIDS crisis, in which he said: “Homosexuality is not just a form of sex, it’s a form of love.”
Healy also appeared to edit a picture of his classic ‘Men In Black’ style hat onto a map of Malaysia to once again snub the authorities’ decision.
The Good Vibes Festival released a statement following the kissing storm, announcing the cancellation of the rest of the event.
He then posted a screenshot of his name trending on Twitter to Mad World by Tears For Fears.
In the clip posted by Healy, Hitchens said: “The brothers and sisters in our society who succumbed to this terrible disease did not die because of sex or because of their sexuality.
Remember, homosexuality is not just a form of sex, it is a form of love.
If you can’t live with that, I’ll think you’re poorer.
In his speech before the controversial and passionate kiss, Healy said: “I don’t see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.”
And he added: ‘I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn’t doing research.
“Unfortunately, you don’t have a set of uplifting songs because I’m fucking mad and that’s not fair to you, because you’re not a representative of your government because you’re young people, and I’m sure a lot of you are gay, progressive, and cool.”
He later abruptly ended the set, saying, ‘Okay, we have to go. We just got banned from Kuala Lumpur.
A source close to the band told MailOnline over the weekend: “Matty has a long history of standing up for the LGBTQ+ community and the band wanted to stand up for their LGBTQ+ fans and the community.”
Malaysia’s Digital and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil condemned the kiss, calling it a “very rude act”. He then canceled the rest of the three-day festival.
The 1975, made up of Healy, bassist MacDonald, lead guitarist Adam Hann and drummer George Daniel, are also banned from performing in Malaysia, according to a government committee that oversees performances by foreigners.
The onstage protest was not the first for Healy, who kissed a male fan at a 2019 concert in the United Arab Emirates, which also has harsh anti-LGBTQ laws.
Promising swift action early Saturday, Malaysia’s Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil published a news report about the kiss, calling it a “very rude act.”
He later ordered the “immediate cancellation” of the three-day festival after meeting with organizers.
“Never touch the sensibilities of the community, especially those that are against the customs and values of the local culture,” he said in a subsequent tweet.
In a statement also posted on Twitter, the festival confirmed that the cancellation had been ordered by the Ministry of Communications “following controversial conduct and comments made by British artist Matty Healy.”
“The Ministry has underlined its unwavering stance against any party that defies, ridicules or contravenes Malaysian laws,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Healy’s mom, Loose Women star Denise Welch, proudly tweeted, “He’s my son,” along with a rainbow emoji in response to the now-viral kiss video.
The incident caused an uproar on social media, including among some members of the LGBT community, who accused Healy of “performative activism” and said her action would likely expose the community to further stigma and discrimination.
But others were quick to defend him, criticizing the law in Malaysia for being so strict in the first place.
Consisting of Healy (centre right), bassist MacDonald (left), lead guitarist Adam Hann (right) and drummer George Daniel, The 1975 are also banned from performing in Malaysia.
