London, UK – Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has put an end to speculation, confirming that the band’s popular “Jumbotron Song” segment will remain a part of their live shows, despite a recent incident that linked it to a corporate scandal. During a recent stop on their Music of the Spheres world tour in England, Martin addressed the controversy head-on, clarifying that the segment is not a “kiss cam” and was never intended to be.
“This is not, never will be, and never was a kiss cam,” Martin told the audience, according to reports. He emphasized that the band simply uses the Jumbotron to pick out and greet fans. “Sometimes they turn out to be an internationally massive scandal, sure. But most of the time, we’re just trying to say hello to some f**king people, that’s all.”
The controversy stems from a Coldplay concert in Boston last month when the cameras landed on Andy Byron, the CEO of tech firm Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s head of HR. The pair were caught in an intimate moment and reacted by awkwardly ducking away from the camera. Martin’s real-time joke—”Uh oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy”—went viral. The clip’s spread on social media ultimately led to an internal investigation at Astronomer, with both Byron and Cabot later exiting the company.
Despite the high-profile fallout, Martin insisted that the incident would not deter the band from continuing the segment. “Life throws you lemons, and you’ve got to make lemonade,” he said. “So, we are going to keep doing it because we are going to meet some of you.” He then humorously added a warning to the crowd: “If you’re not prepared to be on international news, please duck.”
The “Jumbotron Song” has become a fan-favorite tradition since its introduction last year in Singapore. The segment features Martin improvising lyrics about audience members who appear on the big screen, a lighthearted moment of connection that fans have embraced.