Indian singer-songwriter Jasleen Royal recently opened up about a difficult experience during her time as an opener for Coldplay‘s Music of the Spheres world tour in January. Speaking in a candid moment featured in the YouTube mini-documentary Dare to Dream, Royal recalled the emotional toll of being booed off stage during her performance at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium on January 18.
In the documentary, which premiered on April 6, the 33-year-old artist shared her thoughts on the immense pressure she felt during her first performance in front of a crowd of over 45,000 people. “There’s a lot of pressure, there’s a lot to prove,” she said in the film’s opening voiceover.
Coldplay’s Mumbai concerts, the band’s first in India in nearly a decade, sold out in just 13 minutes, and Royal was chosen to be the first Indian artist to open for the British rock band. Prior to this performance, her largest audience had been 30,000 people, but the 45,000-capacity DY Patil Stadium was a completely new challenge.
Reflecting on the experience before the performance, Royal said, “I think the universe was preparing me for this. The universe is giving me what I’ve asked for, and I need to prepare myself.” Despite her preparation, the reality of the stage quickly set in, and Royal was met with disapproval from the crowd shortly after starting her first song. She was also the target of harsh criticism online, including a viral post from Indian singer Vishal Dadlani, who criticized her vocal performance.
However, Royal expressed gratitude for the opportunity Coldplay gave her and emphasized how important it was for her to not disappoint her team and fans. “I hope they feel right about that decision,” she said, referring to Coldplay’s choice to have her open for them.
The performance took an emotional toll on the artist, with Royal later revealing in the documentary how the technical difficulties, such as malfunctioning in-ear monitors, impacted her ability to perform. “What was the problem? Why were my in-ears bursting?” she asked backstage. These monitors, which help artists hear themselves on stage, are crucial, and the failure of hers made the performance even more challenging.
Despite the tough first show, Royal was determined to improve. When asked if she was excited for the second performance, she responded with confidence. Her second opening set was met with a much more positive reception from the audience. Reflecting on the experience, she expressed her desire to constantly grow as an artist. “I just want to put on a great show where people have a great experience,” she said.
Royal’s path to opening for Coldplay was the realization of a dream she had shared in a 2018 email, where she mentioned her ambition to collaborate with international artists on the scale of Coldplay. In 2025, she achieved that dream by collaborating with the band on the song WE PRAY.
While Royal’s onstage setback garnered attention, Coldplay’s comments about British colonialism during the concert also made headlines. Chris Martin thanked Indian fans for their hospitality despite Britain’s colonial past, a moment that sparked mixed reactions.
For Royal, the journey continues as she works to turn challenging experiences into growth and opportunity. “I’m still processing. There’s a lot to process,” she concluded.
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