Two of the biggest names in music have finally called time on one of pop culture’s most infamous feuds. Madonna and Elton John, who have clashed publicly for over two decades, have officially buried the hatchet.
While the origins of the rift are murky, one of the earliest signs of tension appeared in the early 2000s when Elton John criticised Madonna’s James Bond theme Die Another Day, calling it “the worst Bond tune ever.” The comment kicked off years of barbed public remarks between the two icons.
Over time, Elton John continued to take public jabs at Madonna, including accusing her of lip-syncing and infamously stating during an Australian interview on Sunday Night, “She looks like a f—ing fairground stripper.”
Now, it seems the long-standing animosity is over.
Madonna revealed the reconciliation in a heartfelt Instagram post, sharing a photo of herself and Elton John backstage at Saturday Night Live, where he was a musical guest.
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“I went to see @eltonjohn perform on SNL this weekend!! WOW,” Madonna wrote. “I remembered when I was in high school—I snuck out of the house one night to see Elton perform live in Detroit! It was an unforgettable performance that helped me understand the transformative power of music.”
“Seeing him perform when I was in high school changed the course of my life. I had always felt like an outsider growing up and watching him on stage helped me to understand that it was OK to be different—to stand out—to take the road less travelled. In fact, it was essential.”
Addressing their feud directly, Madonna continued:
“Over the decades it hurt me to know that someone I admired so much shared his dislike of me publicly as an artist. I didn’t understand it. I was told Elton John was the musical guest on SNL and I decided to go.”
“I needed to go backstage and confront him. When I met him, the first thing out of his mouth was, ‘Forgive me’, and the wall between us fell down.”
“Forgiveness is a powerful tool. Within minutes, we were hugging. Then he told me he had written a song for me and he wanted to collaborate.”
“It was like everything came full circle!! And you can tell everybody, this is your song…”
Elton John acknowledged the reconciliation by resharing Madonna’s post on his own account, writing simply: “A healing moment, @madonna” followed by a heart emoji.
Elton John’s latest Album ‘Who Believes in Angels?’ is out now! Get yours here at JB Hi-Fi
