• Elton John and Madonna have squashed their beef
  • The pair fell out back in 2004 over lip sync allegations
  • They made up after he performed on SNL
Elton John and Madonna
Madonna and Elton John have settled their feud Credit: Imago

Elton John and Madonna have made up after more than 20 years of feuding.

Their conflict comes from decades of the Your Song hitmaker accusing the Like A Prayer legend of not singing live, instead opting to lip sync at shows. However, the pair have buried the hatchet after they settled their drama after John’s performance on NBC’s SNL.

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Of their exchange, Madonan revealed the “first thing” the EGOT holder told her was “forgive me,” which prompted “the wall between” them to fall.

Madonna went to explain his jibes about her showmanship was especially hurtful because she was a long-time fan of the Crocodile Rock singer.

“Seeing him perform when I was in high school changed the course of my life,” Madonna wrote.

“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.”

Where did the Elton John and Madonna feud start?

Their rift began after the Q Awards in 2004 when the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road singer took aim at Madona taking home the Best Live Act gong.

Sir Elton John and Madonna
Elton John has made up with Madonna Credit: IMAGO/ZUMA

“Since when has lip syncing been live?,” John asked in the aftermath. “Anyone who lip syncs in public on stage when you pay £75 to see them should be shot.”

At the time, a rep for Madonna denied that she did not sung live. Over the years, John didn’t give up his commitment to the bit. In 2012, he argued that she didn’t have a “chance” of beating him in the Original Song category.

When winning the prize for her song Masterpiece, she said that she hoped he would “speak to me for the next couple of years.”

In their make-up announcement post, Madonna teased a potential collab between the pair.

What did Elton John say about Madonna’s forgiveness?

John expressed his gratitude for Madonna “forgiving me and my big mouth.”

In a comment on the post, he added that he was not proud of his behaviour, especially considering the superstar’s “ground-breaking work… paving the way for an entire generation of female artists to succeed and be true to themselves”.

Elton John and Madonna
Elton John offered an apology to Madonna Credit: IMAGO/ZUMA

“I’m increasingly distressed by all the divisiveness in our world at the moment,” the Grammy winner continued. “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.”

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Clara Hill
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