JADE has criticised The 1975’s Matty Healy for avoiding politics at Glastonbury 2025, saying “I don’t think you can be a pop artist and cover your eyes”.
Healy and co. were the Friday night Pyramid Stage headliners in June and towards the end of the set, the frontman told the crowd: “Use your platform, that’s what they say right? We don’t want our legacy to be one of politics, but to be one of love and friendship” as there is “loads of politics out there”.
Now, the former Little Mix singer has hit out at those comments. In an interview with The Guardian, she said: “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,” she added. “Good for you, hun!”
JADE made headlines of her own at Glastonbury this year, playing the Woodsies Stage on Saturday and being introduced by Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa. During the set, she led the crowd in chants of “fuck you” to a range of targets, including Reform UK, “welfare cuts, transphobia, silencing protest, selling arms and justifying genocide”.
NME also caught up with her backstage at Worthy Farm. “I still feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience after my performance. I’ve not come down from it yet,” she said. “I’ve always dreamed of doing Glastonbury, and to be here with my own music is great. It’s nice to know that the writing I’ve been doing for myself is what got me here.”
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She also played an eye-catching set at London’s Mighty Hoopla this year, where she celebrated the LGBTQ+ community and called out J.K. Rowling for anti-trans comments.
Reflecting on the two appearances, she told NME: “I think I’ve always been a bit mouthy when it comes to things that are important. I’m not afraid to speak up and stand up, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. I’m well aware that I have a lot of fans from that community, but also I feel like it’s important, now more than ever, to stand particularly with the trans community. We are seeing a lot of transphobia, a lot of propaganda and a lot of negative press, so I just wanted to make sure that they know that I will say it with my chest and I’ll stand up for them.
“That was important for me at Mighty Hoopla, and it’s been fun because at every show, especially with ‘Fuck You For Now’, I get to shout out different people or say different things. Today with Glastonbury, I shouted out what we’re seeing right now with the genocide going on in Palestine. I feel like it’s important now, more than ever, for pop artists to show that it’s okay to speak out and educate yourself. Don’t be afraid to protest.”
JADE releases her debut solo album ‘THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!” on September 12, with special appearances from RAYE, Mike Sabath, Lostboy, Cirkut and Pablo Bowman.
She will also be opening for Chappell Roan at two huge outdoor shows in Edinburgh later this month – find any remaining tickets here. She will also play as part of RAYE’s All Points East line-up in London next weekend.
In a four-star review of The 1975’s Glastonbury set, NME wrote: “There are bangers aplenty – the howling ‘Robbers’, the throbbing punk of ‘People’, the devastating grace of ‘I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)’ and the crowd-igniting ‘The Sound’, while some of the more tender moments like ‘Be My Mistake’ feel a little lost. “We’re not going anywhere,” ends Healy. “It’s gonna be alright. I know that’s trite”. With their one show of the year, “The 1975 from the Internet” clear the decks on their career so far to deliver a reminder of their chops for tunes and showmanship away from the headlines.”
Some fans believe they hinted at a new album at the end of the set, too, with the word ‘Dogs’ flashing across the stage as they departed.
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