Coldplay-Rihanna Duet, "Princess of China," in the Wild!

Fans are in for a treat: Track made available a week before band's highly anticipated fifth album, Mylo Xyloto

By Josh Grossberg Oct 18, 2011 6:05 PMTags
ColdplayDave Hogan/Getty Images

If Eminem can hook up with Rihanna, why not Coldplay?

The British rockers' epic collaboration with the Barbadian beauty, "Princess of China," has made its way to the Internet—a week before the track makes its official unveiling on Coldplay's highly anticipated fifth album, Mylo Xyloto, which hits stores on Oct. 25.

So what's it sound like? Take a listen.

The song—about a couple's breakup—kicks off with a deluge of airy synth-pop masking the heartache embedded in Chris Martin vocals: "Once upon a time we fell apart/You hold it in your hands, like two halves in your heart."

Enter Rihanna, whose voice cuts through the sweeping keyboards and pulsating beat loud and clear.

"Once upon a time, we're burning bright/but all we ever seem to do is fight/On and on, and on and on and on," the hitmaker croons.

By the time we get to the ethereal chorus, Ri-Ri's in full-on dream mode: "I could've been a princess, you'd be a king/Could've had a castle on a ring."

Shortly before "Princess of China" leaked, it streamed exclusively for free at the iTunes Store as part of a promo push this week in which the site plans to stream one track from Mylo Xyloto each day.

For its part, Coldplay is embarking on a major publicity blitz of its own.

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The band is slated to appear on The Colbert Report on Oct. 20 followed by Today on Oct. 21. After the album's release, they're also booked for The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Oct. 27 and serve as the musical guest on the Nov. 12 episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Emma Stone.

The record's first single, "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall," dropped in June while "Paradise" was released to radio stations as the second single in early September. No word yet whether "Princess of China" will follow as the third.

But if you ask Rihanna, she's definitely happy she did it.

"I am HONORED!!! Especially since its the first feature in the histoRih of Coldplay albums!!!" she tweeted on Sunday.