Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin surprised a street musician in London by joining him for an impromptu duet. The encounter occurred when Martin, passing through Trafalgar Square, stopped to listen to busker Hanny Junee perform.
Junee, a full-time busker from South Korea, was performing for an audience of about 20 people when Martin approached. The busker recounted that he had given his audience a choice between Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" and a song by The Script, with more hands raised for the former. He then began playing the popular Coldplay track, unaware that the song's frontman was present.
"It was amazing, it was like we connected purely through music, not fame," Junee told BBC News after the performance. He added that he did not realize the identity of his duet partner until after the song concluded. "Afterwards some people came up to me and told me it really was Chris Martin."
As a fan of Coldplay himself, Junee expressed his disbelief at the unexpected collaboration. He typically busks in other popular London locations, including Covent Garden and near the London Eye.