Elton John and Madonna‘s years-long feud is officially over. On Monday, the pop star shared that the two had “finally buried the hatchet” after she decided to “confront” him backstage at Saturday Night Live.
“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,” Madonna wrote in an Instagram post shared on Monday. “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,” Madonna captioned the photo of the two stars together. “Then he told me had written a song for me and he wanted to collaborate. It was like everything came full circle!”
In the comments section of the post, John thanked Madonna for “forgiving me and my big mouth,” saying he wasn’t proud of what he had said about her in the past.
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“Particularly when I think about all the groundbreaking work you have done as an artist – paving the way for an entire generation of female artists to succeed and be true to themselves. You were also one of the very first people to rise up against HIV/AIDS in the 80s, bringing love and compassion to so many who desperately needed it,” John wrote. “I’m grateful we can move forward. I’m increasingly distressed by all the divisiveness in our world at the moment.”
“Both you and I have wholeheartedly been accepted and embraced by communities who are under threat around the world,” John wrote. “By pulling together, I’m hopeful that we can make great things happen for those who really need support. And have a lot of fun doing it!”
Earlier in her post, Madonna shared how she once snuck out of her house to see John perform in Detroit, calling the performance “unforgettable.”
“Seeing him perform when I was in high school changed the course of my life,” Madonna wrote. “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 traveled. In fact, it was essential.”
John reposted Madonna’s Instagram post, captioning it simply, “A healing moment.”
The Elton-Madonna drama dates back to 2002 when he said that “Die Another Day,” her James Bond song, was “the worst Bond tune ever.” Two years later, he said at the 2004 Q Awards, “Madonna, best fucking live act? Fuck off. Since when has lip-synching been live? I think everyone who lip-synchs on stage in public when you pay, like, 75 quid to see them should be shot.”
About the comments, John told Rolling Stone in 2011: “Anyone who lip-syncs should be shot. Just take ’em out on the street and shoot ’em. I think Madonna’s a fantastic showgirl — show-woman — and I’m a big fan of some of her records. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, and subsequently, I’ve made up and apologized. I think she paved the way for everybody, but I am right. I’m right. Live means live.”
Then, the following year, John lost a Golden Globe for “Hello, Hello” from Gnomeo and Juliet to Madonna and his husband David Furnish blasted her on Facebook. “She’s such a nightmare,” John said of Madonna in a separate 2012 interview speaking of Madonna’s treatment of Lady Gaga. “Her career is over.”
From Rolling Stone US
