After teaming up with Rihanna for their “Mylo Xyloto” track “Princess of China,” Coldplay stripped down the Barbadian pop star’s latest hit, “We Found Love,” during a visit to BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge, which was posted online on Thursday (Oct. 27).
Instead of echoing the propulsive electo-pop vibe of Rihanna’s “We Found Love,” Chris Martin and co. use piano flourishes, a kick drum and a simple guitar lick to convey the song’s romantic declaration. The way that the slower tempo and Martin’s earnestness turn “We Found Love” into a ballad is reminiscent of Bruno Mars’ emotional reworking of Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” for BBC Radio 1 earlier this year.
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Rihanna’s “We Found Love,” currently at No. 2 on the Hot 100, is the first single off of her sixth studio album, “Talk That Talk,” due out Nov. 21. Coldplay’s fifth album, “Mylo Xyloto,” was released Tuesday and is expected to top the Billboard 200 next week with a sizable debut sales figure.
Check out the striking music video for Rihanna’s version of “We Found Love,” which debuted last week: