City Kuala Lumpur Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Sarah Lancashire has explained why she will never return to Coronation Street - despite the show kickstarting her career. The award-winning actress got her big break as Raquel Watts on the cobbles in the early 90s.

XG have announced their 2024 ‘The First Howl’ world tour, featuring concerts in Asia, North America, Europe and more.On March 18, XG announced that they would be embarking on their first-ever world tour, title ‘The First Howl’, which will include shows and concerts in Asia, North America, Europe and more.The girl group will kick-off their trek with a two-date show at the Osaka-Jo Hall in Osaka, Japan on May 18. In the same month, they will also play concerts in the Japanese city of Yokohama.While the dates for the rest of XG’s 2024 ‘The First Howl’ world tour in Asia have yet to be announced, they have teased concerts in cities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, Seoul and more.The girl group have also revealed upcoming legs in North America and Europe, set to take place in October and November this year.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The CinemAsia Film Festival in Amsterdam has unveiled titles from seven different Asian countries for its competition section. The festival will play at the Studio/K, Rialto De Pijp and Rialto VU venues March 5-10, 2024. The event will close with the out-of-competition screening of “Gaga,” a drama about indigenous communities in Taiwan, directed by Laha Mebow. “Gaga” documents the challenges faced by a commune after the death of a respected tribal elder who, while alive, had held things together.

Sum 41 has announced the details for their final tour.The iconic pop-punk band have previously shared they would split after the release of their final album, ‘Heaven :x: Hell’, and their worldwide tour.Now, Sum 41 have finally revealed their final tour called ‘The Tour of the Setting Sum’. The quintet previously unveiled their Asia dates two days ago, and have now specified their European and American dates.Monterrey will kick off the first leg of their North America tour, where Sum 41 will be joined by support act The Interrupters.

The 1975‘s Matty Healy and Ross McDonald shared a kiss onstage during Good Vibes Festival earlier this year.The confirmation – per the New Straits Times – comes after the Malaysian government announced that concerts must have a “kill switch” to cut off performances that break guidelines. At the time, the government was also debating on whether international performers should also be banned from performing in Malaysia.Now, however, the ban is being ruled out, with Deputy communications and digital minister Teo Nie Ching announcing in parliament that local music fans and other international artists should not be punished for one band’s actions.“The 1975 flouted several guidelines and we are in the midst of strengthening the guidelines to avoid reoccurrence,” she said.

Naman Ramachandran Creative Stew is unveiling an eclectic TV and film slate at Singapore’s Asia TV Forum and Market (ATF). Creative Stew, a decade old Malaysian content production company with operations in Singapore and India, is best known for “That Cover Girl,” the first Malaysian original series on Prime Video, which is a hit for the service.

The Star.The offending kiss, between The 1975 vocalist Matt Healy and fellow band member Ross MacDonald, sparked controversy in the conservative, majority-Muslim nation. Healy, who identifies as straight but has reportedly engaged in similar actions during other performances, kissed MacDonald following a rant against Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws.As a result, the remainder of the Good Vibes music festival in Kuala Lumpur, where the band was playing, was canceled.The festival organizer, Future Sound Asia, blamed Healy for the loss of money stemming from the cancellation and demanded that the band pay $2.6 million in damages.Future Sound Asia also claims the incident has damaged the public’s opinion of the Good Vibes festival, potentially affecting future ticket sales if more conservative concert-goers refuse to spend money.The 1975 has also been banned from performing in Malaysia as a result of the incident.Teo noted that police officers are conducting background checks on foreign artists before allowing them to perform in the country.

IMAX is continuing its expansion in Malaysia and its partnership with Golden Screen Cinemas, pacting for six state-of-the-art IMAX with Laser systems. The agreement will cover five new locations including the Aurum TRX in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, and one upgrade to the Southkey Megamall location in IOI City Mall. With the new deal, IMAX has now completed 13 signings for its systems this year in Malaysia, making it the top international growth market for IMAX in 2023 to date.

Matty Healy delivered a lengthy speech regarding The 1975’s recent ban from Malaysia during a show in Dallas on Monday night (October 9). In July the band were ejected from the stage during a set at Kuala Lumpur’s Good Vibes Festival and subsequently banned from returning to perform in the country after Healy spoke out about the government's anti-LGBTQ laws and kissed his bandmate, Ross MacDonald.

The 1975‘s Matty Healy has delivered a lengthy speech regarding the band’s recent ban from Malaysia for criticising the government’s LGBTQ+ stance at their show in Texas last night (October 9).The band were banned from Malaysia after their set was cut short during day one of Good Vibes Festival on July 21, when Healy criticised the Malaysian government for anti-LGBTQ laws during their headlining set at Kuala Lumpur’s Good Vibes Festival.Healy also kissed bandmate and bassist Ross MacDonald on the lips onstage before their set was cut short two songs later – just seven songs into their setlist – and it was announced that the band were, from then, banned from Malaysia.Future Sound Asia (FSA), the organiser of Kuala Lumpur’s Good Vibes Festival (GVF), then demanded the band pay RM12.3million (£2,099,154) in damages after Healy‘s “indecent behaviour” caused the cancellation of the festival, with artists and vendors complaining of lost earnings. The Malaysian LGBTQ+ community also condemned Healy over his actions, arguing that: “Foreigners don’t get to come in and shit on us and tell us how to do things, especially when they only make it worse for us”.During the band’s set last night, ahead of their performance of ‘Love It If We Made It’, Healy gave his views on the incident and spoke about in great length.Matty Healy’s full speech on Malaysia incident in Fort Worth tonightThanks to Emily and talktorossabouit#The1975 #SATVB pic.twitter.com/1DfP18kXND— The 1975 TH (@the1975_thteam) October 10, 2023Matty Healy’s full speech on Malaysia incident transcribed by 1975Archives #The1975 #SATVB pic.twitter.com/lkhBcBKXxF— The 1975 TH (@the1975_thteam) October 10, 2023“Alright ladies and gentlemen,” he began.

The 1975‘s Matty Healy has deleted his X/Twitter account after Lucy Dacus hit back at an ableist post from the singer.On his new account @mattyfrnglomg, Healy shared a post related to Dacus’ band Boygenius, of whom his frequent collaborator Phoebe Bridgers is a member.He wrote: “I told Lucy Dacus that ‘Boygenius’ had inspired me and [The 1975 drummer] George [Daniel] to start a new band called ‘Girlretard’. I don’t really hear from her that often.”In response, Dacus replied: “You don’t hear from me at all.” Healy then referenced the incident in a separate tweet, saying: “Yeah this never goes well does it,” before deactivating his account.See the posts below.Matty Healy deactivated after Lucy Dacus of boygenius responded to his tweet about her and the band.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Identity, incomplete understanding and urban poverty are among the many themes touched upon in “Oasis of Now,” which is set to make its debut next month in the prestigious New Currents competition section of the Busan International Film Festival. The story revolves around a mother and a daughter who inhabit the invisible corners of an old apartment block in Kuala Lumpur. They meet in the stairwells, play furtive games and snatch moments of shared happiness, before slinking off to their separate homes.

hit out at Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws during his band’s set on the first day of the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur last month, adding “your government are a bunch of fucking retards”.The comments not only caused The 1975’s set to be cut short, but the Malaysian government forced the remaining two days of the festival to be cancelled.It emerged earlier this month that the promoter of the festival, Future Sound Asia, had sent a legal letter to the band demanding that they accept liability for the cancellation and pay over £2 million in damages. Failure to do so, the legal letter added, would result in litigation through the English courts.That would basically be a breach of contract lawsuit, because FSA says that the band specifically committed – before playing the Good Vibes Festival – to adhere to local rules governing live performances.

The 1975‘s lawyers have been working on resolving the band’s ongoing lawsuit with a Malaysian festival organiser.Future Sound Asia (FSA), the organiser of Kuala Lumpur’s Good Vibes Festival (GVF), has demanded the band pay RM12.3million (£2,099,154) in damages after the band’s frontman Matty Healy‘s “indecent behaviour” caused the cancellation of the festival last month.Lawyers for FSA previously confirmed that they issued a seven-day Letter of Claim before legal proceedings in English courts would begin.In a statement issued to the PA news agency on Wednesday (August 16), David Matthew, legal counsel for FSA, said the resolution process was “now in progress”.“We are able to confirm that our lawyers have received communication from the band’s solicitors and we are continuing to pursue the matter, as per our earlier statement,” said Matthew.He continued: “The dispute resolution process is now in progress and on advice of legal counsel, we have no further comment at present.”Matthew previously said that a large component of FSA’s Letter of Claim is attributed towards frontman Matty Healy’s breach of contract.“Healy’s representative categorically provided a pre-show written assurance that he and The 1975’s live performance ‘shall adhere to all local guidelines and regulations’ during their set in Malaysia. Despite this, the assurance was ignored, and the band’s actions also clearly contravened the contract with FSA, which led to the cancellation of the festival and caused significant losses to FSA,” said Matthew to the Malay Mail.The 1975 were banned from Malaysia mid-performance at Day 1 of Good Vibes Festival on July 21.

Team GB swimmer Helen Smart, known previously as Helen Don- Duncan, sadly passed away 'suddenly' at the age of 43, with tributes pouring in from fellow athletes across the world. Helen represented Britain at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 in the 200m backstroke and also won a bronze medal in the same event at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.The backstroke specialist later retired from the sport and became head of Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School in Wigan. Olympic medallist Sharron Davies was one of the stars to share her sadness, writing to Twitter, "This is very sad news.

A former Team GB swimmer has “suddenly” died at the age of 43. Helen Smart, then known as Helen Don-Duncan, secured a bronze medal in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, and scooped silver medals at the World and European Championships.The athlete was a backstroke specialist but retired from the world of competitive swimming to become a headteacher. After representing Great Britain at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, she went on to become a respected and “beloved” headteacher at Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School on Clifton Street in Wigan, as reported by Daily Mail.

The organizer of a Malaysian music festival is seeking 12.3 million ringgit ($2.7 million) in losses from British band The 1975, after its lead singer’s onstage protest of of the country’s anti-gay laws prompted authorities to shut down the festival, the company’s lawyer said Friday.

Future Sound Asia, organizer of the Good Vibes festival, has asked The 1975 to pay £2 million ($2.5 million USD) to its organizers, Rolling Stone reports. The Malaysian event was canceled after The 1975's performance, which was cut short after frontman Matty Healy blasted the country's anti-LGBTQ laws and kissed bass player Ross McDonald.

The 1975 have been ordered to pay a Malaysian festival organiser over £2million in damages within seven days or face legal action in the UK.Future Sound Asia (FSA), the organiser of Kuala Lumpur’s Good Vibes Festival (GVF), has confirmed that it has issued a seven-day Letter of Claim to the UK band requesting for RM12.3million (£2,099,154.54) in damages following the cancellation of the festival last month.The Letter of Claim was previously announced on August 7, though further details were unknown at the time.In a new statement to the Malay Mail, the festival’s organiser’s legal counsel David Mathew from Steven Thiru & Sudhar Partnership said that the seven-day notice is dated August 7, meaning the band have until August 14 to pay the damages before legal action is taken against them.“In the letter, FSA has demanded that The 1975 admit their liability and also pay the sum of £2,099,154.54 (RM12,347,967.91) within seven (7) days,” David Mathew told Malay Mail. “The Letter of Claim is written in accordance with the provisions of the English Practice Direction Pre-Action Conduct and Protocol which are part of the English Civil Procedure Rules.”According to Mathew, a large component of FSA’s Letter of Claim is attributed towards frontman Matty Healy’s breach of contract.

criticised the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws from the stage have formally threatened to sue the band over the incident.Future Sound Asia, promoter of the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur, has confirmed it has now sent a letter to The 1975 demanding that they acknowledge liability and compensate the live music company for the cancellation that occurred following their set on the first day of the event. If they refuse to do so, FSA says it will pursue legal action through the English courts.Addressing Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws during his set at the festival, Healy told his audience: “I made a mistake.

The 1975‘s Matty Healy has addressed the band’s ongoing controversies in Malaysia after they were banned from the country last month.While performing in Hawaii on August 6, Healy addressed the crowd before the band dove into ’28’. “All I’ll say is that I don’t give a fuck about any white saviour complex bullshit.

A Malaysian festival has demanded damages from The 1975 over allegations that frontman Matty Healy’s “abusive language, equipment damage and indecent stage behaviour” caused the event to be cancelled.

Tom DeLonge has said he will not go to Malaysia after sharing a kiss with The 1975‘s Matty Healy while at Lollapalooza in Chicago.DeLonge, who watched The 1975 perform at Lollapalooza over the weekend, took to Instagram to share a screengrab of he and Matty Healy embracing mid-set. “I guess myself ‘AND’ The 1975 won’t be going to Malaysia – just a couple of dudes kissing during their phenomenal set at Lollapalooza.See the post below.

Thania Garcia In the weeks after Matty Healy’s controversial behavior at the Good Vibes Festival got the festival canceled by Malaysian authorities, English rock band Muse has revealed why they chose to alter their setlist during their Malaysian tour stop. In case you missed it, Healy outwardly expressed his distaste for the Malaysian government’s anti-LGBTQ laws while performing in the country’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur.

The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has joined American filmmaker Caveh Zahedi in his latest episode of Getting Stoned With… – Watch the full episode below.Getting Stoned With… sees Zahedi and Healy light up and discuss their respective approaches to art, spirituality, drugs, what it feels like to be in a band, as well as the navigation of both art and personal relationships.A clip that was used to promote the newest episode with the controversial frontman on social media features a funny interaction between Healy and Zahedi in which the singer learns who the Mountain Goats are while high.A post shared by Caveh Zahedi (@caveh.zahedi)“Have you read John Darnielle’s novels?” Zahedi asked. Healy responded by shaking his head no with the filmmaker saying: “The guy from the Mountain Goats … You don’t know the Mountain Goats?”“I’ve never heard them.

Muse have revealed why they swapped a song from their setlist at their recent concert in Malaysia.The band altered their setlist after The 1975 were banned from Kuala Lumpur last month due to frontman Matty Healy’s on-stage criticism of the Malaysian government’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws.Muse were the first major international act to perform in Malaysia on Saturday (July 29) since the incident, and according to an organiser of their Kuala Lumpur concert, the band were proactive in ensuring that their performance fits into the country’s guidelines.“They called us shortly after the incident went global. After discussions, they decided to pull one song out of the setlist due to the title of the song.

The 1975‘s Matty Healy has reacted to the news of Muse removing a song from their setlist for an upcoming concert in Malaysia.The news comes after The 1975 and Matty Healy were banned from Kuala Lumpur last Friday (July 21) for criticising the Malaysian government for anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Healy, who was visibly drinking onstage, had also smashed a festival-owned drone, and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald onstage, before announcing just seven songs into their set that they had been banned from Malaysia and had to leave.“I made a mistake.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent French director Élise Girard’s “Sidonie in Japan” starring Isabelle Huppert as a French writer mourning her husband’s death while on a book tour of Japan, is among titles set to launch from the Venice Film Festival’s independently run Giornate Degli Autori. The section, also known as Venice Days, has unveiled its lineup comprising ten titles world premiering in competition – six of which first works – and films in other sections all displaying a wide range of genres and visual styles, but tied together by “A common discourse,” said the section’s artistic director Gaia Furrer.

The recent antics of The 1975 frontman Matt Healy at a festival in Kuala Lumpur — where he kissed a male bandmate on stage and slammed Malaysia’s homophobic laws — has angered conservatives and, with just weeks before state elections, left some LGBTQ Malaysians concerned about a governmet backlash against them.Headlining the Good Vibes Festival, the British pop-rock singer delivered a profanity-laden speech, with a wine bottle (or what at least appeared to be one) in hand.“Unfortunately, you don’t get a set of loads of uplifting songs because I’m fucking furious,” he said. “And that’s not fair on you, because you’re not representative of your government — because you’re young people, and I’m sure a lot of you are gay and progressive and cool.”While the speech was met with some cheers, some LGBTQ community members say it may worsen the oppression they face and undo the progress they’ve made.“He gets to fly out of the country and not face the consequences,” drag performer Carmen Rose told the Guardian, “while our people have to face the brunt of what just happened.”“Any foreign artist who comes here and who wants to advocate for us, they need to understand how to go about it,” she added.

The Strokes‘ Julian Casablancas has shared his thoughts on The 1975‘s recent controversy in Malaysia that saw them banned for taking a stance on LGBTQ matters on stage.Last weekend, The 1975’s set at Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur was cut short – and later, the rest of the festival was cancelled – after frontman Matty Healy criticised anti-LGBTQ laws and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald onstage.During their headline performance on Friday (July 21), Healy called out the Malaysian government and said: “I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.”Since then, The 1975 have been banned from performing in the country, and the frontman has received backlash from Malaysia’s LGBTQ+ community, claiming that his actions undermined years of action by local activists.The 1975 are now also potentially facing a class action lawsuit by Malaysian artists and festival vendors over the festival’s cancellation.The Strokes’ Casablancas, who was unable to perform at Good Vibes Festival with his band, shared on social media this weekend that they are currently working on a way to perform in Malaysia.The frontman then elaborated on his thoughts regarding the controversy in an Instagram reply, writing: “it def helped the white outsider awareness yes, for sure… i felt the same. had no idea.