The work of the renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo continues to exert a notable influence in various cultural spheres, even inspiring international music figures. A palpable example of this phenomenon is the impact that painting had “Still life: long live life” on Chris Martin, leader of the band Coldplay, during his visit to Mexico in 2007.
Despite the challenges imposed by chronic pain that often kept her bedridden, she dedicated herself to creating vibrant works of art, including “Live life” (1954), a still life that exudes strength and passion for existence through its vivid representation of watermelons.
This particular piece caught the attention of Chris Martin, british band leader Coldplay, during a visit in 2007 to the Blue house, residence of the artist in Mexico City. The emotional depth and theme of the work inspired the vocalist to such an extent that the title of the band’s next album would be “Viva la Vida”, becoming a tribute to the artist and her Mexican fans.
Kahlo’s influence was not limited to the name of the album; He also inspired the creation of the song that would title the album, a reflection of the singer’s admiration for the audacity and resilience of Diego Rivera’s wife in the face of adversity.
This oil painting is notable for its vibrant color palette, with watermelons that stand out on a blue background, carrying on one of its slices the inscription: “Long live life. Frida Kahlo, Coyoacán, 1954, Mexico.”
The work captured the British in such a way that it inspired one of the most emblematic songs of Coldplay, “Viva la vida”, released in 2008. The song not only reflects the spirit of Kahlo, but also evokes themes of courage, freedom and revolution, aspects visible in the video clip that alludes to the French Revolution and presents an aesthetic that recalls both to Kahlo’s painting as to the work of Eugène Delacroix, “Liberty leading the people.”
The disc “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends” (2008) achieved monumental success, adding eight million copies sold two years after its release.
May 7, 2008 marked the release date of “Live life”the second single from the fourth studio album by Coldplay, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friendsthrough iTunes for digital download.
This release was followed, shortly, by a television promotion on an episode of American Idol and later in a commercial advertisement for iTunes, showing the band with a vibrant background of color effects. The song, available on iTunes As a single, it managed to position itself at number one on the list iTunes Top 100 at the beginning of May, prompting Coldplay to once again occupy a place in the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100.
The promotion of “Live life” It was not limited to digital platforms and television, extending to live events. On 1st June, Coldplay performed this single in the MTV Movie Awards 2008, presented by Edward Norton and Liv Tyleractors The Incredible Hulk.
The relevance of the song was sealed by winning the award for Song of the Year in the Grammy awards on February 8, 2009. Additionally, it has sold more than 5.2 million copies in USA until the date of November 2011, consolidating itself as one of the band’s greatest successes.
The lyrics stand out for their historical reference to the figure of Louis XVI of France, the last French king before the revolution that would lead to the fall of the monarchy. Although implicit, the song appears to be told from the fallen monarch’s perspective, addressing themes of repentance, court intrigue, and banishment.
Frida Kahlo and his iconic painting “Still Life: Viva la Vida” continue to inspire generations and cross cultural boundaries, as demonstrated by their influence on contemporary music, specifically in the album “Viva la Vida” by the English band Coldplay. This artwork, depicting a colorful arrangement of watermelons, is distinguished as possibly the last canvas touched by Kahlo’s brush before his death in 1954, proudly displayed in the Frida Kahlo Museum of the Mexico City.
The work, painted in oil on masonite and belonging to the genre of still life, vividly encapsulates the essence of life and death, recurring themes in Kahlo’s work. The particularity of this painting, beyond its intrinsic artistic value, lies in the inscription “VIVA LA VIDA, Frida Kahlo, Coyoacán 1954-México”, added by the artist in what would be the days before her departure.
The impact of “Still Life: Long Live Life” transcended the artistic field to mark the world of music when Chris Martinleader of Coldplay, visited the museum dedicated to Kahlo and Rivera. The strength and audacity behind Kahlo’s message influenced Martin to the point of baptizing the successor to her album “X&Y” with the name “Viva la Vida”, and deciding to close the album’s tour in Mexico, as a tribute to the vitality that Kahlo imbued in her work.
