Chris Martin talks about working with Hype Williams and 'a girl' on Coldplay's new Paradise video

Since we exclusively reported that Hype Williams was working with Coldplay's new video for Paradise, Williams's first with the band since the official Viva la Vida shoot back in 2008, MTV have all but confirmed the collaboration with an interview with Chris Martin during the Austin City Limits festival this past weekend. They also hint at a new face appearing in the video. Here's what they had to say:

Coldplay already told MTV News that they decided to roll the dice and go with the inscrutable title of Mylo Xyloto for their upcoming fifth album. But when the time came to make a video for their second release from the disc (due October 25), the beat-infected Paradise, they went all in and reteamed with a director best known for lensing clips for some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B (Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Rick Ross). "We just started to do a video on Monday on 'Paradise,'" singer Chris Martin told MTV News at the Austin City Limits festival. "And the bits that we're not in are being done almost as we speak."

The new clip — whose concept Martin kept under wraps — is being directed by Hype Williams, who first worked with the band three years ago on the title track to their last album, Viva La Vida. That clip had the feel of a Renaissance painting, complete with cracked paint effects, and Martin said they decided to work with Williams again because, well, why not? "We're just following the things we love," he said. "The video we did before, for 'Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall,' we did with our friend Mat [Whitecross], who is the most indie of indie filmmakers. It's just nice when you can try both approaches."

Frontman Chris went on to explain: "Paradise is about a girl really, the female half of the album, just about being a bit lost in the world and escaping through fantasy." As for the promo for the song – which has been directed by Hype Williams - Chris admitted he prefers not to grace the screen for the band’s music videos, and would rather leave that up to "someone attractive and beautiful". He went on to hint the Paradise video "might have to have a girl in it," joking that "it might actually be pleasurable to watch!"

Between working with Williams, opting for a cryptic title and roping in a surprise cameo from Rihanna on the song "Princess of China," Martin explained that Coldplay are just rolling the dice because they've kind of earned the right. "We felt like so many people have already made up their minds about us ... both good and bad," Martin said. "That we can sort of start again from scratch and try and reflect all the music we listen to and love."

A recent R#42 blog photo showing Coldplay recording the Paradise video... but there will be more to it...