The Kid Laroi surprised fans on the weekend by performing an impromptu set in a hotel bar in Kuala Lumpur.
The Aussie hitmaker, 19, was due to hit the stage in Malaysia as a headliner at the Good Vibes Festival on Saturday, but it was cancelled after The 1975’s onstage kissing controversy.
The Kid Laroi, whose real name is Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard, said he was ‘drunk’ but was desperate to perform for fans.
According to Billboard, he belted out several of his hit songs, including Stay, Diva and Thousand Miles.
‘Two things before I start. I’m very drunk, number one. Ever since they cancelled the show, I had no other option but to go right to the bar. So here I am,’ he reportedly told the crowd.
The Kid Laroi surprised fans on the weekend by performing an impromptu set in a hotel bar in Kuala Lumpur. The Aussie hitmaker, 19, was due to hit the stage in Malaysia as a headliner at the Good Vibes Festival on Saturday, but it was cancelled after The 1975’s onstage kissing controversy
‘I’m with my friends today, and I just figured since everything got cancelled and I’m here anyway, I may as well come and do a couple songs. Thanks to the hotel for letting me do this,’ he added.
For the impromptu performance, Laroi kept things casual in a maroon and white striped jersey and cap.
The 1975 were banned in Malaysia and the entire Good Vibes Music Festival was cancelled after frontman Healy kissed his male bandmate on stage.
Healy, 34, who recently made headlines for his whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift, slammed Malaysia’s anti-gay laws in a profanity-filled speech at the festival in Kuala Lumpur, before kissing bassist Ross MacDonald.
The 1975 were banned in Malaysia and the entire Good Vibes Music Festival was cancelled after frontman Healy kissed his male bandmate on stage
Homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia and laws criminalising sodomy are punishable by imprisonment.
LGBTQ people in the country also face regular discrimination by authorities and rights groups have been warned of growing intolerance.
Healy hit back at hardline Malaysian officials who banned him from performing in the country after the kiss to protest their anti-LGBT laws.
The 1975 have now cancelled two upcoming tour dates in Asia.
The English pop-rock group announced that performances at the We The Fest in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday and at the Taipei Music Centre in Taiwan on Tuesday will not go ahead before their American tour kicks off next month.
Healy, 34, who recently made headlines for his whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift, slammed Malaysia’s anti-gay laws in a profanity-filled speech at the festival in Kuala Lumpur, before kissing bassist Ross MacDonald. (pictured at the Brit awards in 2019)
On Sunday, Healy also posted a series of throwback snaps with bassist MacDonald to imply a very close relationship between the two of them and poking fun at the ban.
The outspoken singer responded to the ban and the cancellation of the festival, writing: ‘Ok well why don’t you try and not make out with Ross for 20 years. 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 had 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 issued a statement after the kiss 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 sister of our society who have succumbed to that appalling disease did not die of sex or of their sexuality.
‘Remember, homosexuality is not just a form of sex – it’s a form of love.
‘If you can’t live with it, I will think you’re the poorer.’
In his speech before the controversial and passionate kiss, Healy said: ‘I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.’
He added: ‘I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it.’
‘Unfortunately you don’t get a set of loads of uplifting songs because I’m f****** furious and that’s not fair on you, because you’re not representative of your government because you are young people, and I’m sure a lot of you are gay and progressive and cool.’
He later abruptly ended the set, saying: ‘All right, we gotta go. We just got banned from Kuala Lumpur.’
A source close to the band told MailOnline over the weekend: ‘Matty has a long-time record of advocating for the LGBTQ+ community and the band wanted to stand up for their LGBTQ+ fans and the community.’
Malaysian Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil condemned the kiss and called it a ‘very rude act’. He then cancelled the rest of the three-day festival
The 1975, which consists of Healy, bassist MacDonald, lead guitarist Adam Hann and drummer George Daniel, have also been banned from performing in Malaysia, according to a government committee that oversees performances from foreigners.
The on-stage protest was not a first for Healy, who kissed a male fan at a 2019 concert in the United Arab Emirates, which also has tough anti-LGBTQ laws.
Vowing swift action early Saturday, Malaysian Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil posted a news report about the kiss and called it a ‘very rude act’.
He later ordered the ‘immediate cancellation’ of the three-day festival after meeting with organisers.
‘Never touch the sensitivities of the community, especially those that are against the manners and values of the local culture,’ he said in a subsequent tweet.
In a statement also posted to Twitter, the festival confirmed the cancellation had been at the direction of the communications ministry ‘following the controversial conduct and remarks made by UK artist Matty Healy’.
‘The Ministry has underlined its unwavering stance against any parties that challenge, ridicule, or contravene Malaysian laws,’ the statement added.
Meanwhile Healy’s mother, Loose Women star Denise Welch, proudly tweeted: ‘He’s my son,’ alongside a rainbow emoji in response to the now-viral kiss video.
The incident sparked uproar on social media, including among some members of the LGBT community, who accused Healy of ‘performative activism’ and said his action was likely to expose the community to more stigma and discrimination.
But others rushed to his defence, instead criticising the law in Malaysia for being so strict in the first place.
The 1975, which consists of Healy (centre right), bassist MacDonald (left), lead guitarist Adam Hann (right) and drummer George Daniel, have also been banned from performing in Malaysia