What's the deal with stars in King Charles III's coronation playlist? There are so many star songs. There's Coldplay's "A Sky Full of Stars," Ellie Goulding's "Starry Eyed," and Emeli Sandé's "Starlight." Coldplay is, of course, an English band while Goulding is English, too, and Sandé is a Scottish singer-songwriter, so there's an obvious connection with the United Kingdom.
Furthermore, all of these songs — because of their celestial theme — speak to guidance and direction. Coldplay's hit says, "'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars / 'Cause you light up the path." There's also an interesting element of relinquishing control in Goulding's song. "Hit, hit, hit, hit, hit me with lightning / Handlebars that I let go, let go for anyone / Take me in and I'll throw out my heart and get a new one," she sings. The same goes for Sandé's tune, which features the lyric, "You are my starlight / Your shine can brighten up the darkest night / I'll follow you until the daylight."
For centuries, the British monarchy held power through the belief in the divine right of kings and queens; the sovereign ruled because God had anointed them. For contemporary audiences, this notion might not be so palatable, yet Charles is still deemed the "Defender of the Faith." The Church of England uses the King James Bible, which states that the wise men were led to Christ through a star. In fact, stars are hugely symbolic in Christianity. Could this speak to Charles' subtle reinforcement that he's there by divine right?
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