Coldplay Kiss Cam Row: Grace Springer said,"A part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down."
The viral moment that sparked internet-wide speculation about a relationship between tech executives Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR executive Kristin Cabot was never meant to be anything more than a concert clip- until it reached nearly 50 million views on social media. Grace Springer, a 28-year-old Coldplay fan, said that she had no idea who the couple was when she filmed them reacting to a kiss cam at the band’s concert at Gillette Stadium in Boston on July 16.
“I just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it," Grace Springer said, adding, “A part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down, but play stupid games, win stupid prizes."
The now-infamous video shows Andy Byron, CEO of the $1.3 billion data firm Astronomer, and his company’s Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, awkwardly reacting after appearing on the venue’s jumbotron. As the camera lingers on them, Kristin Cabot covers her face with both hands, while Andy Byron appears to mutter, “F–king hell, it’s me," before ducking out of view. Kristin Cabot is also seen mouthing, “This is awkward."
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, spotting their discomfort, joked to the crowd, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy" after which he added, “I hope we didn’t do something bad…" Within hours, internet users identified both individuals: Andy Byron is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron while Kristin Cabot finalized her divorce from Kenneth Thornby in 2022.
Grace Springer, whose innocent video unintentionally ignited the controversy now dubbed ColdplayGate, said she hopes the attention ultimately leads to accountability and healing. She said, “I hope their partners can heal from this and get a second chance at the happiness they deserve with their future still in front of them. I hope, for them, my video was a blessing in disguise."
Kristin Cabot, who joined Astronomer as Chief People Officer in November, had previously described herself on LinkedIn as someone who “leads by example" and is “energized" by her conversations with Andy Byron. In a company-wide announcement at the time of her hiring, Andy Byron had praised her as “a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies" with “deep expertise in talent management and employee engagement."
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