Will Champion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Will Champion
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Champion performing with Coldplay in 2021
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William Champion
31 July 1978 Southampton, Hampshire, England
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| Alma mater | University College London |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
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Marianna Dark
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| Children | 3 |
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| Awards | Full list |
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| Origin | London, England |
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William "Will" Champion (born 31 July 1978) is an English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer and percussionist for the famous rock band Coldplay.
Will grew up in Southampton, England. From a young age, he learned to play many different musical instruments. He was inspired by artists like Bob Dylan and Nick Cave, as well as traditional Irish folk music. His drumming style is very energetic and focuses on what's most important for each song. Sometimes, he even sings lead vocals during live performances.
Will studied anthropology at University College London. There, he met Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, and Guy Berryman, who would become his bandmates in Coldplay. The band signed with Parlophone in 1999. They became globally successful with their first album, Parachutes (2000), and have continued to release popular albums since. Will has won many awards with Coldplay, including seven Grammy Awards and nine Brit Awards. He also received an honorary degree as a Doctor of Music for his contributions to the band. Coldplay has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the most successful groups of the 21st century.
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Early Life and Music
William Champion was born on 31 July 1978 in Southampton, Hampshire, England. His parents, Timothy and Sara Champion, were archaeology lecturers. He grew up near the University of Southampton, where his parents worked.
Will started school at Portswood Primary School. He later attended Cantell School and Peter Symonds College. He played cricket with his older brother and went to Highfield Church. Will has said that music was always playing at home, including songs from Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and traditional Irish folk music. He was also part of a group called Fat Hamster.
His love for music led him to take lessons for many instruments. He started with violin and piano at age eight, then guitar at 12. Later, he learned bass and tin whistle. Will didn't always enjoy the lessons because he couldn't read music. Instead, he learned songs by watching his teachers and playing from memory. Even though he played drums at school, he wasn't very interested in them at first.
Will continued his education at University College London. He studied anthropology and met Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, and Guy Berryman. Together, they formed Coldplay. Will believes that learning other instruments helped him with drumming. It gave him a different way to think about music and how to play drums. He learned about major and minor keys, which helped him understand the "feel" of a song.
Music Career
Joining Coldplay
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Will Champion was the last person to join Coldplay in 1998. He explained that Chris, Jonny, and Guy came to his house because his roommate had a drum kit. His roommate was a good drummer, but he didn't show up. So, Will offered to try playing the drums himself. They recorded the session, and even though he didn't have much drumming experience, he was invited to join the band.
In 1999, Chris Martin briefly asked Will to leave the band after some arguments about his drumming skills. However, the other band members soon felt bad and asked him to come back. This event even inspired the Coldplay song "Trouble", which was written as an apology to Will.
In Coldplay, Will is often seen as the band's sensible and steady member. Chris Martin once said that Will is like the strong base of a statue. Other band members agree that he helps keep everyone focused when making decisions. They also admire that he can play many instruments, calling him a "human jukebox". While Jonny and Guy sing backing vocals, Will often sings lead vocals on some songs. For example, he performed "Death Will Never Conquer" during the Viva la Vida Tour (2008–10). His version of the song was even included on the album LeftRightLeftRightLeft (2009). He also sings lead on "The Goldrush", "In My Place (Live in Buenos Aires)", and "Angelsong".
Other Music Projects
Will Champion has also worked on music outside of Coldplay. In 2004, he played drums on a-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen's first album, Past Perfect Future Tense. In 2011, he was part of a video for the Beat for Peace campaign, which asked world leaders to help prevent conflict in Sudan.
Will also made a special appearance as one of the musicians in the "Rains of Castamere" episode of the TV show Game of Thrones in 2013. The next year, he played drums on Brian Eno and Karl Hyde's album, Someday World (2014).
In 2017, he visited the University of Southampton to talk to music students. He shared his experiences about writing music, recording in a studio, performing live, and handling fame. In 2019, Will and Jonny Buckland helped Jodie Whittaker record her cover of "Yellow" for the BBC's Children in Need album. He has also joined DrumathonLIVE, a charity event that raises money for children's mental health. In 2023, the University of Southampton gave him an honorary degree as a Doctor of Music.
Musical Style
Will's Equipment
Will Champion's first drum kit was a Yamaha 9000. Yamaha has given him many custom drum sets over the years. His current setup includes a bass drum, a rack tom, a floor tom, different snare drums, and Zildjian cymbals. He uses Remo drumheads, Pro-Mark drumsticks, and a Roc-N-Soc drum throne. He also uses electronic pads and a cajón, which is a box-shaped drum.
Will is known for his energetic drumming. He once said that he didn't feel confident playing loudly at first. This led to his unique style, where he might wait to play a big part and then "steal the limelight at the end."
Musical Influences
When asked about his best drumming performances in Coldplay songs, Will said he was proud of the ones where everything was kept simple. He used "Viva la Vida" as an example. He explained that for that song, they tried many different drum patterns, but nothing worked. So, they decided to keep it very simple, using just a kick drum, a bell, and a little bit of timpani. He felt this simple approach best supported the song's complex violins and melodies.
In 2006, Will mentioned that he liked bands like Arcade Fire and Klaxons, as well as hip hop music. His favorite drummers include Ginger Baker, John Bonham, and Dave Grohl. Dave Grohl has even praised Will's drumming in return!
Personal Life
Will Champion is a big fan of Southampton F.C., a football team, and has had a season ticket for many years. His parents, Tim and Sara, used to DJ at local pubs. Sadly, his mother passed away from cancer in 2000. Her funeral was on the same day Coldplay was supposed to film the music video for their song "Yellow". This is why only Chris Martin appeared in that video. Coldplay's first album, Parachutes, was dedicated to Will's mother.
In 2003, Will married Marianna Dark, who is a teacher. He was the first member of Coldplay to get married. They have three children and live in London's Hampstead area.
Will has said that he loves being able to play in huge stadiums around the world and then "disappear" back home to his children and wife. His children are learning to play the violin, and his wife sings in Brian Eno's choir. Will's favorite non-musical activity is cooking, and he often dances with Marianna at home. Marianna's backing vocals were featured in the song "Everyday Life" from the album of the same name, which is Will's favorite song from that album. During the Music of the Spheres World Tour (2022–25), Will drew pictures of the cities they visited on his drums.
Discography
With Coldplay
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Solo Credits
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Images for kids
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Champion performing with Coldplay in 2021
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Champion playing the drums at Fuji Rock Festival in July 2011
See also
In Spanish: Will Champion para niños
- List of people associated with University College London
- List of British Grammy winners and nominees
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of highest-grossing live music artists
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
