Coldplay’s Chris Martin thanks fans in India for ‘forgiving’ colonial past and ‘all the bad things’ Britain has done
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has apologised for Britain’s colonial past during the band’s performance at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.
The 47-year-old singer addressed the crowd of 75,000 fans with an apologetic message about Britain’s historical actions in India.
“It is amazing to us that you welcome us even though we are from Great Britain,” Martin began to the crowd.
“Thank you for forgiving us for all of the bad things that Great Britain has done.”
The comments came during Coldplay’s first major Indian concert since 2016, as part of their Music of Spheres world tour.
Martin, who arrived in Mumbai last Thursday with actress girlfriend Dakota Johnson, made the remarks during what has been described as an electrifying performance by local outlets.
Coldplay will perform two more shows in Mumbai this week, followed by concerts in Ahmedabad on January 25 and 26.
The Ahmedabad performances, set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium, will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar.
The band initially planned two Mumbai shows but added another due to overwhelming demand.
The tour’s ticket sales proved controversial, with the BookMyShow website crashing under the pressure of over 700,000 users attempting to purchase tickets simultaneously.
Digital queues reportedly reached 11 million people, leading to widespread frustration among fans.
Following the initial sale, tickets appeared on other websites at inflated prices, while scammers emerged on social media offering fake tickets through supposed lucky draws.
Martin’s apology comes amid a significant period in Coldplay’s career, with the band currently on their highly anticipated Music of Spheres world tour across Asia.
The tour includes stops in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and Seoul, marking their first return to Hong Kong since 2009.
Last year, Martin revealed plans for Coldplay’s eventual retirement, announcing the band would only release “12 proper albums”.
“Where we could be kind of coasting, we’re trying to improve,” Martin told Zane Lowe in an Apple Music interview.
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The frontman explained this limit would help maintain the same quality control as their previous successful albums, including 2000’s Parachutes, 2008’s Viva la Vida, and 2021’s Music of the Spheres.
Coldplay has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, making them the most successful group of the 21st century.