The Coldplay fan who inadvertently ignited a tech world scandal with a viral concert video has now weighed in — and she's not mincing words.
It is a video that has set social media ablaze this week, and the woman behind the camera has now shared her thoughts on the now-viral moment and the ongoing fallout.
Grace Springer, 28, has garnered around 50 million views after sharing a video from a Coldplay concert where the band interacted with the crowd in a simple Kiss-Cam segment.
However, she inadvertently captured the moment Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was seen appearing to cuddle up to his company’s head of HR Kristin Cabot, before he ducked to the ground and she covered her face and turned away.
Woman Behind The Video Speaks Out
Speaking to the US Sun, Springer explained that she initially posted the video simply because she thought the couple’s reaction was entertaining. “I had no idea who the couple was,” the Coldplay fan said. "Just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it."
She captured the moment at the band’s show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Wednesday night. The footage shows Byron wrapping his arms around Cabot as the jumbotron zooms in on them during a “kiss cam” segment. As the camera lingers, the pair can be seen visibly panicking — with Cabot hiding her face and Byron ducking out of sight.
Springer, who uploaded the clip to TikTok, admitted that "a part of [her] feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down", however, she delievered a simple - and blunt - six-word message:
"Play stupid games... win stupid prizes.”
Chris Martin’s Awkward Onstage Reaction
Even Coldplay frontman Chris Martin couldn’t help but react in real time to the couple’s squirming. “Oh, look at these two,” Martin, 48, told the crowd. “All right, c’mon, you’re okay.”
As the couple continued to hide, he followed up with the now-infamous quip: “Oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
Later in the concert, Martin appeared to acknowledge the storm the kiss cam moment had already stirred online. “Holy s***,” he reportedly told the audience, according to The Guardian. “I hope we didn’t do something bad.”
Fallout: CEO placed on leave
The viral moment quickly snowballed across social media, prompting amateur sleuths to identify the couple as Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot — both senior leaders at Astronomer, a tech company based in the US.
As scrutiny intensified, Astronomer confirmed it had launched a formal investigation into the matter. On Friday, July 18, a company spokesperson told PEOPLE that Byron had been placed on leave.
“Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave,” the company said. “We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days.”
The company added in a LinkedIn statement: “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability. The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.”
The US Sun has also reported that sources have confirmed that the incident was definitely not staged.
Both Byron and Cabot were reportedly in long-term relationships and have families before the Coldplay footage surfaced, according to various online reports. The scandal has since become a flashpoint for workplace ethics, executive behavior, and viral culture colliding in spectacular fashion.
Astronomer did not confirm the identities of anyone in the video, but stated that reports of “other employees” also appearing in the clip were inaccurate.
As the company braces for further fallout, Springer — the woman behind the viral moment — is staying out of the drama.