Lizzo Says Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ Became Her Make Out Song — and Chris Martin Approves
Lizzo got a surprise visit from Coldplay’s Chris Martin, whom she was able to thank in person for inspiring her forthcoming Special track, literally titled “Coldplay,” during an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. The full interview airs today, July 13, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
The clip starts with Lizzo explaining the origins of “Coldplay,” noting, “This is one of the most literal songs I’ve ever written. Everything I say in the song actually happened.” The track was produced by Ricky Reed, who shared a simple piano loop with Lizzo and encouraged her to just get in the booth and talk over the instrumental.
She ended up unraveling a lengthy tale about the lovestruck vacation she’d just finished and admitted she first felt a little “raw and sensitive” about the track and was eager to move on. But later, Reed came back and told her he’d molded her monologue into a song. Lowe then noted that the song includes some direct references to Coldplay, which was as good a way as any to introduce Martin.
During their quick FaceTime convo, Lizzo thanked Martin for letting her sample “Yellow” and use the band’s name for the song’s title, adding, “I was with somebody, and I was just looking at the stars. And I was with him, and I was singing it. And tears just were coming to my eyes. You have such an incredible ability to move people with the poetry of your lyricism. So thank you so, so much.”
Martin heaped plenty of praise on Lizzo in return and replied, “Hey, I don’t know how to accept those kinds of compliments. Thank you. If someone had told me 22 years ago, ‘One day, Lizzo’s going to make out to this song,’ I’d be like, ‘Okay, great.’ It’s become Lizzo’s hookup song, and that’s good.”
“Oh, that’s baby-making music, baby!” Lizzo quipped in response.
During the conversation, the pair also discussed the possibility of an actual collaboration down the road. “I mean, listen, the songs don’t got to come out with me and you,” Lizzo joked. “We just got to do it. If we sat in the studio and we just worked. You play the piano, I’ll sing. Don’t nobody got to know. Don’t nobody got to know, Chris.”
“I don’t mind people knowing,” Martin said. “Honestly. I’d like people to know!”
Lizzo is set to release Special this Friday, July 15. The album follows her 2019 breakout debut, Cuz I Love You. Lizzo will embark on a North American tour in support of Special this fall.
