The two pop icons have been in conflict since the early noughties when Elton criticized Madonna’s “Die Another Day”, the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name.

Madonna confirmed their reconciliation in a heartfelt Instagram post, where she spoke of the influence of his music in her younger years:

“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 traveled by. In fact, it was essential.”

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She also delved deeper into the disappointment the beef brought her: “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.” Madonna then gave details of their backstage encounter, saying that she was told Elton would be the nights musical guest and was compelled to see him: “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 had written a song for me and he wanted to collaborate. It was like everything came full circle!!”” Elton then left some kind words in the comment section, paying his respects to Madonna’s music and impact: “Thank you for coming to see me at SNL. And thank you for forgiving me and my big mouth. I’m not proud of what I said. 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 80’s, bringing love and compassion to so many who desperately needed it.” Brandi Carlile, who Elton was performing with at SNL, jested at the peace-making popstars: “Whatever happens to this country the gays won today folks” Fans were pleased to see the two pop titans bury the hatchet. Some fans on the Live From New York subreddit shared their delight at seeing John and Madonna together:

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The Elton John/Madonna beef has been going since 2004, when John said her theme tune for Die Another Day was the “worst Bond tune ever”.

After this, the ‘Rocket Man’ songwriter took aim at Madonna during the Q Awards, where she was nominated for Best Live Act. Insinuating that she performs with backing tracks, he asked the crowd “Since when has lip-synching been live?”, before asserting that “Anyone who lip syncs in public on stage when you pay £75 to see them should be shot.”

Years later, John criticized her again after she secured the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012. While interviewed on “Good Morning America”, he warned her to “make sure you lip-sync good.”

Later, he would talk to Australia’s Channel 7 about her controversial ‘MDNA’ tour, which came under fire for its graphic imagery, religious and political symbolism, late start times and lip-synching allegations: “Her tour is a disaster and it couldn’t happen to a bigger c—. If Madonna had any common sense, she would have made a record like ‘Ray of Light,’ stayed away from the dance stuff and just been a great pop singer and made great pop records, which she does brilliantly. But no… And she looks like a fucking fairground stripper.

Elton John and Brandi Carlile performed their song ‘Who Believes In Angels?’, a downtempo, rocky ballad from their new collaborative album of the same name. The album was released last Saturday (April 4). So far, it’s received positive reviews, with The Guardian calling it “a true meeting of the minds.” You can read some background information we gave around the making of the album here.

The collaboration, which ultimately became a celebration of resilience and positivity, almost didn’t happen. On the day Israel invaded Gaza, John was deeply affected by the news and questioned whether it was right to continue recording. “Brandi was staying at her house next door, and I had all the newspapers on the table. I said, ‘Why are we doing an album when all this is going on? It seems inhumane to be recording,’” he recalled.

However, Carlile quickly countered his doubts with a heartfelt response. “We’re going to see the positive,” she told him. “We musicians need to bring the world together. That’s our purpose.” Her words resonated with John, sparking a shift in perspective. She went on to write ‘A Little Light’, a song inspired by her belief in music’s ability to uplift and connect people.

John credited that moment as a turning point for the entire album. “That really turned the album around,” he said. From that point on, the project gained momentum, with a renewed sense of purpose driving the music.

When first envisioning the album, John was adamant that he and Carlile avoid the predictable route of dramatic power ballads. “I didn’t want it to be one line her, one line me,” he explained. “I wanted it to be harmonies. I wanted it to be a proper duet record.”

Carlile echoed that sentiment, sharing how John’s determination to defy expectations inspired their creative process. “We kept the ballads to a minimum because he was like, ‘Everybody will expect us to get together and do power ballads. Let’s do uptempo, positive, uplifting songs,’” she said. “And I was like, ‘Well, that’s kind of an amazing assignment.’”

With longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin contributing lyrics and Andrew Watt handling production, the team hit their stride quickly. John described the energy in the studio as electric. “I didn’t want to go back and make an album I’ve done before. I wanted to push Brandi, and she pushed me, and Andrew pushed both of us to an intense degree. Bernie as well,” he said. “And in the end, we were just roaring. We were recording a track a day, and instant first takes.”

The result is an album that captures both artists’ passion and belief in the power of music. Though the world remains uncertain, ‘Who Believes in Angels?’ stands as a testament to resilience and hope — a reminder that even in the darkest moments, creativity can serve as a unifying force.

For John, the key to musical growth lies in live performance. Drawing from his own journey, he emphasized how playing live gave him the resilience needed for long-term success.

“That experience stood me in great stead for when I became Elton John because I had backbone. And backbone is so important,” he said. “The worst thing that can happen to you in the industry are things like X Factor and instant fame on television where you have no experience of playing live. You get put on stage, you go, and you can’t do it. That’s the worst thing. American Idol — just the worst. Take risks. Go and play in a pub.”

Carlile, meanwhile, believes building a supportive network is essential, saying: “Honestly, make friends,” she advised, “Get a community around you.”

Elton also reflected on the transformative power of music in his life: “I can’t live without music. It nearly killed me, but it also kept me alive, and it keeps me alive today. But not the music of the past so much. Although I do listen to jazz and stuff like that, it’s the music of the future that keeps me alive,” he said.

When it comes to his relationship with Carlile, John’s admiration is evident: “I love her so much and not just as a person, but I love what’s inside of her musically and creatively,” he said. “It hasn’t really touched the surface. I think it’s beginning to, but it’s got so much further to go. She’s like an embryo at the moment, and she’s done a hell of a lot to be an embryo, but she’s going to just burst.”

For aspiring musicians, John reiterated the importance of perseverance: “Just keep trying to play live. That’s the way you improve as a musician and songwriter. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing to 40 people. The more experience you get playing to nobody, the better. Because when I played in Musicology, we played to hardly anybody sometimes,” he said.

John and Carlile’s new collaboration album will arrive later this month.

The first song known to be included in the album is the single ‘Never Too Late’ which was released as John and Carlile’s first song collaboration last year. The song was used in Elton John’s documentary which came out in the same year and was titled, just like the album, ‘Who Believes in Angels’. The song peaked at number 47 and only spent a week on UK charts.

About the record, John said: “This record was one of the toughest I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. It has given me a place where I know I can move forward. Who Believes In Angels? feels like going into another era and I’m pushing the door open to come into the future.”

Carlile joined in commenting on the announcement, and said: “I’m still reeling from the fact that I got to do it. I think all ships rise with Elton John’s standards for songwriting, and it was an incredibly challenging and inspiring environment to work in, everybody throwing in ideas, everybody listening to everybody else’s ideas. It felt like a family.”

Here are all the tracks included in the upcoming release:

1.    The Rose Of Laura Nyro
2.    Little Richard’s Bible
3.    Swing For The Fences
4.    Never Too Late
5.    You Without Me
6.    Who Believes In Angels?
7.    The River Man
8.    A Little Light
9.    Someone To Belong To
10.    When This Old World Is Done With Me

To celebrate and promote the album, a special show was also announced: Carlile and John will be gracing the London Palladium Stage in Central London for a one night only special set to take place on March 26, 2025, only a couple of weeks before the release of the album. For a chance to access tickets, fans are encouraged to pre-order the album here.

John and Carlile have also created a special video for fans which narrates and illustrates how the album was born and created.