Will Champion

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Champion has a 2:1 degree in anthropology from University College London, where he completed Coldplay's line-up with Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland and Guy Berryman. The band signed with Parlophone in 1999 and found global success with Parachutes (2000) and subsequent albums. He has won seven Grammy Awards, nine Brit Awards and an honorary degree as Doctor of Music for contributing to Coldplay. Having sold over 160 million records worldwide, they are the most successful group of the 21st century.

In Their Own Story

In 2004, Champion guested on Magne Furuholmen's debut album alongside bandmate Guy Berryman. His diverse career path took him from working as a doorman at a bar run by Ricky Gervais while studying to becoming an investor in the Noble Rot restaurant group. In 2013, he made a cameo as one of the Red Wedding musicians in the "Rains of Castamere" episode of Game of Thrones. He also contributed to Brian Eno and Karl Hyde's collaborative album Someday World (2014). On a personal note, his mother Sara Champion, who died from cancer in 2000, was a DJ known as Champion Tunes; her funeral coincided with the filming of the "Yellow" music video, which is why Chris Martin appears alone. Champion married teacher Marianna Dark in 2003, becoming the first band member to wed, and they have three children living in Hampstead. In 2023, he received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University of Southampton.

Reader's Guide

Champion was the last performing member to join the band in 1998. He explained that Martin, Buckland and Berryman came to his house because a roommate had a drum kit and was a good drummer, but he had not turned up, 'so I just said I'd give it a go'. They recorded the session and he was later invited to the ensemble despite not having significant prior experience. In 1999, he was temporarily sacked from the group by Martin due to heated discussions regarding his abilities as a drummer: 'Three days later, the rest of us were feeling miserable [...] we asked him to come back. They made me have lots of vodka and cranberry juice in remembrance of what a nasty piece of work I was being'. The incident became an inspiration for 'Trouble', which was written as an apology to him. In Coldplay, Champion is often regarded as the rationality of the band, with Martin saying 'When I think of him, I think of something heavy and granite-like. Like the base of a statue. Without that, the thing topples'. While answering questions from fans, other members added that he 'does have a very sensible head on his shoulders and when it comes to making decisions he is really good at putting valid points across and keeping everyone focused. He frequently has the casting vote and his decision can sometimes override the consensus'. They often praise his multi-instrumentalism as well, calling him a 'human jukebox'. Although Buckland and Berryman have contributed to backing vocals, Champion remained the most prominent in the role, as seen throughout Viva la Vida Tour (2008–2010), when he played 'Death Will Never Conquer'. His rendition of the song was included on LeftRightLeftRightLeft (2009). Lead vocals are also present on 'The Goldrush', 'In My Place' (Live in Buenos Aires), and 'Angelsong'. The latter is heard on Moon Music (2024) both separately and within 'Alien Hits / Alien Radio'.

Did You Know?

• Champion guested on a-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen's debut album, Past Perfect Future Tense (2004), along with Berryman.
• In 2011, the drummer was part of a video for the Beat for Peace campaign, which 'called on global leaders to take urgent diplomatic action' and 'prevent all out conflict returning to Sudan'.
• He made a guest appearance as one of the Red Wedding musicians in the 'Rains of Castamere' episode from Game of Thrones, which aired on 2 June 2013.
• In 2014, he contributed to Brian Eno and Karl Hyde's collaborative album, Someday World.
• Champion is known to support food and wine magazine Noble Rot as well, becoming an investor in their namesake restaurants.