The 1975's Matty Healy aims to only play festivals committed to gender-balanced lineups

Reading and Leeds festivals unveiled their 2020 lineup yesterday (11 February), which caused quite a stir considering there's only 20 acts on the entire lineup that are fronted by women, or have women and non-binary people in the band.

This is the R&L line up if it was just the women performing....

I just removed all the male acts off of the Reading and Leeds lineup and so much for celebrating diversity in music??? pic.twitter.com/GP472U8yo6

— chlo (@divinelybloom) February 11, 2020

The 1975's Matty Healy responded to journalist Laura Snapes' comments about the male-dominated lineup last night (11 February), agreeing that it's far from a gender-balanced lineup, and writing, "rage is a dope booking!!!"

After Snapes wrote back asking Healy to "add a condition to your rider that says you’ll only play festivals that commit to X% (ideally 50%!) acts that include women and non binary performers", Healy responded, "Take this as me signing this contract - I have agreed to some festivals already that may not adhere to this and I would never let fans down who already have tickets. But from now I will and believe this is how male artist can be true allies."

Take this as me signing this contract - I have agreed to some festivals already that may not adhere to this and I would never let fans down who already have tickets. But from now I will and believe this is how male artist can be true allies https://t.co/1eaZG2hEze

— (@Truman_Black) February 12, 2020

This morning (12 February), Healy added on Twitter, "Point is that Reading and Leeds with more women would be honestly the best festival in the world that place is vibeyyy. Let’s not judge people and give the benefit of the doubt that people are going to start to listening. I can feel the change !!"

Point is that Reading and Leeds with more women would be honestly the best festival in the world that place is vibeyyy. Let’s not judge people and give the benefit of the doubt that people are going to start to listening I can feel the change !!

— (@Truman_Black) February 12, 2020