A Long-Awaited Truce: Madonna and Elton John End Two Decades of Musical Rivalry
- Musicians Madonna and Elton John lay to rest a centuries-old weapon of conflict.
Step aside, pop world, it seems the music legends Madonna and Elton John have finally putting an end to their decades-long rivalry! In an Instagram post, the 66-year-old queen of pop shared an intimate moment from backstage at the US show "Saturday Night Live" (SNL). "The hatchet is officially buried," Madonna declared, complete with a heartwarming snapshot of both iconic pop stars embracing.
The stage was set for this historical reunion during an encounter at a recent SNL episode in the Big Apple. With courage in her heart, Madonna approached Elton backstage, ready to face her musical adversary. As she remembered it, those fateful words from the British maestro were, "Forgive me." And just like that, a wall tumbled down between the two.
The bitter feud between these pioneers of pop music had stewed for over two decades. Their conflicts can be traced back to 2004, when Elton John accused Madonna of lip-syncing during her performances. This accusation only added fuel to the flames, particularly at the 2012 Golden Globes, where Madonna earned the Best Original Song award for "Masterpiece," beating out Elton's "Hello Hello." Elton, on the red carpet at the time, flatly stated Madonna had "not a snowball's chance in hell" of winning. Later, he called her a "nightmare" and declared her career over.
In her Instagram post, Madonna spoke candidly about the pain Elton's criticisms had caused her: "All those years, it was hard to know that someone I respected so much publicly bashed my work. I never understood it."
Now, the animosity seems to have evaporated, replaced by an embrace, an apology and even the promise of a future collaboration.
A Brief Overview of Their Rivalry
- The Spark: The fire between Madonna and Elton was kindled in 2002, when Elton John lambasted Madonna's Bond theme "Die Another Day."[2][3]
- Lip-Syncing Controversy: Elton's criticism escalated further in 2004 when he accused Madonna of lip-syncing during live performances.[2][3]
- Years of Tension: Despite moments of reduced strain, such as Elton's praise of Madonna's activism against AIDS in 2023,[2][3] the tension persisted.
- The Truce: The historic truce unfolded at an SNL performance in early April 2025, as Madonna and Elton John put their differences aside for a heartfelt meeting.[1][2][3]
This pivotal moment marks a new era in pop history, with both artists now looking towards potential collaboration.
- Elton, addressing Madonna after years of tension, offered an apology for his past criticisms, saying, "Forgive me."
- Recalling the moment, Madonna later admitted on Instagram that she found Elton's words hard to accept due to their "public bashing" of her work over the years.
- Amidst renewed respect and harmony, both legends of pop music, Madonna and Elton John, have now expressed their intentions for potential future collaboration, potentially ushering in a new epoch of collaborative endeavors.
