Although they haven’t officially announced it yet, it’s clear that Coldplay is in the midst of rolling out a new album. They have a fresh single, “Higher Power,” coming this week, and it appears they’re engaging in some world-building as well. They’ve teased something called “Alien Radio,” which included its own written language. Now it looks like a fictional planet named Kaotica is involved as well, which quickly drew backlash from Lady Gaga fans who feel Coldplay’s whole new era feels too similar to Gaga’s Chromatica campaign.
Coldplay have mentioned Kaotica on social media, noting that a CD single edition of “Higher Power” includes a decoder of the aforementioned fictional language and it arrives “courtesy of our friends on Kaotica.” The CD also features an image of the Kaotica planet and Gaga fans aren’t pleased with how much the pink sphere looks like Chromatica.
Hello everyone. Thanks for all the 💜🚀 on Higher Power. There’s a very limited edition CD single with a decoder on the back, courtesy of our friends on Kaotica. https://t.co/SWFttEuDnV PH pic.twitter.com/Vgi7vDsOeb
— Coldplay (@coldplay) April 30, 2021
Coldplay is being criticized over accusations that their new #Kaotica era steals from Lady Gaga's #Chromatica era aesthetic.
'Kaotica' is a fictional planet the band is using to promote their new single "Higher Power," and it's also rumored to be the title of their next album.🛸 pic.twitter.com/s5pXrne65T
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 5, 2021
Fans were quick to accuse Coldplay of copying Gaga:
so coldplay’s new album is called kaotica with a new planet aesthetic? pic.twitter.com/X4XzIZPRip
— chase. (@cfree94) May 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/enigmascandy/status/1389136942671958024
As at least one Coldplay fan has noted, though, the band has actually used space-themed imagery in promotional material for years.
https://twitter.com/charliem98_/status/1389191227002822660
https://twitter.com/charliem98_/status/1389191228789506048
Check out some more reactions below, including fans imagining what it would be like if the two fictional planets went to war.
https://twitter.com/BlondeFeministe/status/1389151625189724161
After the conception of planet Chromatica, Doja Cat built "Planet Her" and Coldplay built planet "Kaotica". Lady Gaga is the standard.🪐🚀 pic.twitter.com/Dzu5VeiXKZ
— Pope 👹 (@PopeChromaticus) May 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/HighwayHussam/status/1389204780552183809
Coldplay is a Warner Music artist. .