The Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has said Covid lockdowns forced him to confront and re-evaluate his relationship with fame.
“Last year was a quite an eye-opener,” he told BBC Radio 2. “I was like, ‘Who am I without Wembley stadium, saying you’re awesome?’ I’m trying in my life right now to not attach too much to being a pop star. I’m trying not to get my self-worth from external validation.”
His disclosure came as the band unveiled their new single, the 80s-inspired pop song Higher Power, which premiered last night onboard the International Space Station with the French astronaut Thomas Pesquet beaming the record back to Earth by satellite.
In a video chat, Martin told Pesquet: “Right now we aren’t able to play for anybody on Earth, so we thought we’d just play for you. It’s like our one-man concert.”
The single is Coldplay’s first collaboration with the Swedish record producer Max Martin, which the singer said was a humbling experience and that the hitmaker forced them to “raise our game”.
Martin regaled the lengths the band had to go to in order to record together during the pandemic, adding: “We had to find countries where we were able to get in with permission, and then be in a recording bubble – and we did that three or four times.
“We tried to stay within the rules and get together when possible – but only when we won’t be thrown in prison.”
Coldplay will open the Brit awards next week from a barge in the middle of the Thames, and on 22 May will play at Glastonbury, which will be livestreamed this year.
“We’re going to give a great show – and nobody’s going to be there!” Martin said.
