A Kiss Cam moment changed everything for Kristin Cabot.
Kristin Cabot has spoken out for the first time about the Coldplay kiss cam moment that massively went viral and changed her life. Cabot, who was Astronomer’s chief people officer at the time, shared her story in an interview with The New York Times published Thursday.
The incident happened at a Coldplay concert in Boston on July 16. A camera on the jumbotron showed Cabot in a close moment with then-Astronomer CEO Andy Byron. When they realized they were on the screen, they pulled apart. The crowd reacted, and Coldplay singer Chris Martin joked about it on stage.
Cabot said the video spread almost instantly online and changed her world completely. She said she spent weeks deciding whether to speak publicly. In the end, she chose to do the interview so she could explain what really happened and tell her side of the story.
Cabot Addresses The Scenario’s After Effects
Cabot told The New York Times that she did not have a sexual relationship with Byron. She said the two had never kissed before the concert. “I made a bad decision and had a couple of High Noons and danced and acted inappropriately with my boss,” she said. She added, “And it’s not nothing. And I took accountability and I gave up my career for that. That’s the price I chose to pay.”
Cabot said she and Byron connected during her interview process in the summer of 2024. She joined Astronomer that November. She said they spoke daily and bonded while both went through separations. That bond later turned into what she called “big feelings.”
By the time she invited Byron to the Coldplay concert, Cabot said she had a crush. She said the outing was not like a date and included close friends. They drank, danced, and stood close, and the kiss cam captured that moment.
When the screen showed them, Byron reacted with panic. Cabot hid her face and said, “This is awkward.” Martin joked, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy,” as fans recorded the moment.
Cabot said she and Byron emailed Astronomer’s board immediately after the incident. The board launched an investigation and placed both executives on leave. Byron resigned the next day. Cabot resigned days later, though she said the board asked her to return.
“I was so embarrassed and so horrified,” Cabot told the Times. “I’m the head of HR, and he’s the CEO. It’s, like, so cliché and so bad.”
She said the fallout included online abuse and death threats. She said her children feared for their safety.
Cabot filed for divorce in mid August. Her estranged husband later said the couple separated before the concert. Byron declined to comment regarding this.
