Matty Healy talks Taylor Swift and mocks outrage over podcast comments
New York, New York - Matty Healy has broken his silence on his rumored romance with Taylor Swift and responded to the ongoing controversy surrounding a recent podcast appearance.
While Taylor was rocking out at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, the 34-year-old hit the stage with The 1975 in Scotland, where he played coy about his alleged relationship with the 33-year-old singer.
In true Matty fashion, he began by asking the crowd, "Is it all a bit? Is it sincere? Will he ever address it?"
"All of these questions and more will be ignored in the next hour," he said, just before introducing the band and kicking off the performance.
His comments come after reports that the supposed couple are quite serious, even reportedly looking to move in together.
While Taylor has said she's "never been this happy" amid the rumored relationship, many fans have taken issue with the pairing, given Matty's streak of controversial comments and behavior.
A podcast appearance from February sparked massive controversy as the Chocolate singer laughed at and participated in racist jokes about rapper Ice Spice (whom Taylor has recently collaborated with, stirring even more controversy as fans theorize whether it was an intentional distraction from Matty's comments) and shared his interest in pornography featuring the brutalization of women of color.
In a profile by The New Yorker published on Monday, Matty said he found it hard to believe anyone was actually concerned with his comments.
When asked about those who found the content genuinely offensive, he said, "You're either deluded or you are, sorry, a liar."
Matty Healy's latest comments stir further controversy among Taylor Swift fans
The biggest question surrounding the musician's comments and actions remains whether they're genuine or merely done to provoke.
When asked by the outlet whether the podcast comments were intentionally made to bait fans, Matty responded, "A little bit."
Jack Antonoff, a mutual friend and producer of both Taylor and Matty, seemed to echo this sentiment in the profile.
"I think Matty is a deeply sincere person, who can, at different points, be misunderstood because of how much he enjoys a bit," he said. "If you don't know him, if you don't get him, because you're not really tuned in to the work, you might assume a cynicism that is literally not there."
Many fans called out the latest comments, arguing that Matty is not understanding the impact his comments - ironic or not - have on marginalized communities. Others continue to underscore points similar to that of Antonoff, arguing that his comments cannot be separated from his art.
Elsewhere in the profile, Matty spoke of Taylor (though never outright addressing the dating rumors) and praised her performance at The 1975 concert in January. The writer concluded the piece by adding that sources close to the pair have confirmed that the relationship is indeed "real."
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