Coldplay’s Chris Martin thanks Mumbai fans for ‘forgiving us’ over British colonialism
Brendan Morrow
Chris Martin is grateful that Coldplay’s Indian fans don’t hold British colonialism against him.
While performing recently in Mumbai, the Coldplay singer, 47, said the band “couldn’t ask for a better audience to play to” and said he was amazed to get a warm reception in India despite being from England, according to a video of the moment shared on social media.
“It’s amazing to us that you welcome us, even though we are from Great Britain,” he said, alluding to past British rule over India. “Thank you for forgiving us for all of the bad things Great Britain has done and welcoming us to your home.”
The comment received cheers at the venue, though reactions from fans online were mixed.
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“Chris healing intergenerational trauma with a mic, stage and some tunes,” one Instagram comment jokingly said, while another fan posted, “pls free concert next time as reparations.”
Still another person asked, “Ok but when did we forgive the (sic) them?” Another commenter panned Martin’s remark, writing, “What in the white guilt did I just watch?”
Coldplay previously performed in Mumbai in 2016, when they headlined the Global Citizen Festival.
The band is currently on its Music of the Spheres World Tour. They kicked off 2025 with a series of shows in the United Arab Emirates before moving to India, and they’re next scheduled to play at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, on Saturday and Sunday.
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When tickets for Coldplay’s performances in India went on sale last year, fans were upset after they quickly sold out, only to be resold online for up to $11,000, according to CNN.
The vendor, BookMyShow, released a statement at the time stressing that “scalping is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India.” BookMyShow also said it had “filed a complaint with the police authorities and will provide complete support to them in the investigation of this matter.”
