Chris Martin addresses relationship with Dakota Johnson amid breakup rumors

Originally appeared on E! Online

Chris Martin is still feeling sparks with Dakota Johnson.

While the longtime couple have been at the center of breakup rumors over the past year, the Coldplay singer seemingly confirmed that he and the “Fifty Shades of Grey” alum are very much together — although they are still hoping to keep their romance out of the spotlight.

“It is important to say that [romantic love] is such a big factor in everything,” Martin explained to Rolling Stone in an interview published on Thursday, “even though it feels right to keep it precious and private; I’m not denying its power.”

The outlet noted that Martin, 47, did mention Johnson, 35, several times throughout their interview, saying that the two had recently listened to Kacey Musgraves‘ Golden Hour and calling her one of his best friends alongside children Apple Martin, 20, and Moses Martin, 18, whom he shares with ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow.

While Martin and Johnson have quietly been together for years after meeting in 2017, multiple outlets reported in March that the couple had actually gotten engaged years ago, although neither confirmed the engagement at the time.

READ: Why Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin have kept their relationship so private

It was then reported in August that the two had ended their romance, however a rep confirmed to E! News at the time that it was “not true,” adding, “they are happily together.”

In fact, days after the speculation started, Johnson was seen stepping out in Malibu, California, with an emerald ring on her ring finger — the same one she’d worn in 2020.

Despite their focus on privacy, Martin and Johnson haven’t been shy about how much they care for each other, with the “Madame Web” star telling Vanity Fair in 2022 that after they first met, they “never really left each other.”

They also wanted to keep their romance out of the spotlight as much as they could in part because of Martin’s family and Johnson’s own experience growing up in Hollywood as the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.

“Maybe I think about relationships like that differently because I grew up in my family,” she continued. “We were all cool. Obviously, there were times where it was not cool, but I experienced that, so I don’t want that in my life…It’s better to be kind, and it’s also really nice that everybody actually really loves each other and has each other’s backs.”