Elton John PRAISES Madonna after years-long feud! Singer shares he's 'deeply moved' by the Queen of Pop's concert tribute to AIDS victims
Elton John appears to have put his years-long feud with Madonna behind him.
The Rocket Man, 76, took to his Instagram on Thursday with a glowing post, as he praised the Queen of Pop, 65, for her recent concert tribute to AIDS victims - marking their first public interaction in nearly a decade.
'We're deeply moved by the heartfelt tribute from @madonna during her Celebration Tour performance of "Live to Tell", honouring the 40.4 million people we've lost to AIDS.,' he wrote.
'Thank you, Madonna, for your advocacy and compassion, and for raising important awareness of the ongoing mission to end AIDS.'
'With 39 million people living with HIV today, 9.4 million of whom are not currently on life-saving treatment, we must keep using our voices and platforms to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live full and healthy lives.'
![Praise: Elton John, 76, appears to have put his years-long feud with Madonna, 65, behind him, as he took to Instagram on Thursday with a post praising her recent AIDS victims tribute](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/00/77059711-12678261-image-a-4_1698364778638.jpg)
Praise: Elton John, 76, appears to have put his years-long feud with Madonna, 65, behind him, as he took to Instagram on Thursday with a post praising her recent AIDS victims tribute
![Deeply moved: 'We're deeply moved by the heartfelt tribute from @madonna during her Celebration Tour performance of "Live to Tell", honouring the 40.4 million people we've lost to AIDS,' he wrote](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/01/77059717-12678261-image-m-7_1698365330786.jpg)
Deeply moved: 'We're deeply moved by the heartfelt tribute from @madonna during her Celebration Tour performance of "Live to Tell", honouring the 40.4 million people we've lost to AIDS,' he wrote
During her Celebration Tour, Madonna gave a performance of 'Live to Tell', during which she shared a moving slideshow of images playing behind her, from Instagram account The AIDS Memorial.
Madonna's friend Martin Burgoyne, Freddie Mercury, and Cookie Mueller are amongst those whose portraits are displayed.
At the end of the performance a text tribute appeared behind the singer, reading, 'In loving memory of all the bright lights we lost to AIDS'.
Though fans initially speculated that Madonna hit 'like' on the post, at this time she has not yet publicly reacted to Elton's praise.
The AIDS Memorial also praised the Papa Don't Preach hitmaker in a post where they recounted the ways in which she's been an ally to the LGBT community.
'During the 1980s and 1990s, millions of lives were lost to the AIDS epidemic, with a significant number of victims experiencing destitution and abandonment by their families. This devastating crisis turned cities into graveyards, erasing entire generations.'
'Since day one, @Madonna has been an ally in raising awareness and mobilizing resources during the AIDS crisis,' the post read.
'In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, amid the peak of the epidemic, Madonna stood out as one of the few visiting hospitals in downtown New York where countless AIDS patients faced solitary deaths.'
'In an era when even doctors hesitated to touch AIDS patients, Madonna offered solace—embracing, comforting, and staying with them so they wouldn’t face their final moments alone.'
![Thankful: 'Thank you, Madonna, for your advocacy and compassion, and for raising important awareness of the ongoing mission to end AIDS,' he wrapped up the post](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/01/77059723-12678261-image-a-8_1698365727999.jpg)
Thankful: 'Thank you, Madonna, for your advocacy and compassion, and for raising important awareness of the ongoing mission to end AIDS,' he wrapped up the post
![Moving: During her Celebration Tour, Madonna gave a performance of 'Live to Tell', during which she shared a moving slideshow of images playing behind her, from Instagram account The AIDS Memorial](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/01/77060293-12678261-image-a-9_1698365778652.jpg)
Moving: During her Celebration Tour, Madonna gave a performance of 'Live to Tell', during which she shared a moving slideshow of images playing behind her, from Instagram account The AIDS Memorial
![In loving memory: At the end of the performance a text tribute appeared behind the singer, reading, 'In loving memory of all the bright lights we lost to AIDS'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/01/77060291-12678261-image-m-21_1698366163749.jpg)
In loving memory: At the end of the performance a text tribute appeared behind the singer, reading, 'In loving memory of all the bright lights we lost to AIDS'
![Tribute: Madonna's friend Martin Burgoyne, Freddie Mercury, and Cookie Mueller are amongst those whose portraits are displayed](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/01/77060275-12678261-image-a-10_1698365804927.jpg)
Tribute: Madonna's friend Martin Burgoyne, Freddie Mercury, and Cookie Mueller are amongst those whose portraits are displayed
Madonna - who recently revealed she is currently feeling unwell again, just seven days into her 78-date world tour after a bacterial infection forced her to reschedule her concert series - kicked off her Celebration tour earlier this month at the O2 Arena in London.
Her long-awaited tour is set to continue in the coming months and into 2024.
She will continue to travel throughout the UK and Europe until December, with several dates already sold-out.
The North American leg of her tour will begin in December, kicking off in Brooklyn. Her April 2024 shows in Mexico City have already sold-out.
Elton John's feud with Madonna began in 2002, when he called her track Die Another Day the 'worst Bond tune ever'.
It escalated in 2004 at the Q Awards, where Sir Elton won the Classic Songwriter Award and Madonna was nominated for Best Live Act.
Accepting his accolade, he said from the stage: ‘Madonna, best live act? F*** off. Since when has lip-syncing been live? Sorry about that, but I think everyone who lip-syncs on stage in public when you pay like 75 quid to see them should be shot. Thank you very much. That’s me off her Christmas card list, but do I give a toss? No.’
Madonna's publicist responded: 'Madonna does not lip-sync nor does she spend her time trashing other artists.
'Elton John remains on her Christmas card list, whether he is nice... or naughty.'
John later called his Q Awards comments 'unfair' and added: 'She's been to my house for dinner. It was something I said in the heat of the moment, and probably should not have said.'
However, after Madonna turned down an invite to perform at his bachelor party, the singer was allegedly overheard telling his guests: 'Madonna, the miserable cow, wouldn't do it.'
Madonna's spokesman responded: 'Madonna wishes Elton all the best, and hopes married life will make him a happier person.'
![Long-running feud: Elton's feud with Madonna began in 2002, when he called her track Die Another Day the 'worst Bond tune ever'; they are seen in 1995](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/01/77059719-12678261-image-a-22_1698366654515.jpg)
Long-running feud: Elton's feud with Madonna began in 2002, when he called her track Die Another Day the 'worst Bond tune ever'; they are seen in 1995
![Ongoing: The pair's feud was heightened after Madonna beat Elton to take home the Best Song award at the Golden Globe awards in 2012; pictured 1998](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/01/77059715-12678261-image-a-23_1698366736940.jpg)
Ongoing: The pair's feud was heightened after Madonna beat Elton to take home the Best Song award at the Golden Globe awards in 2012; pictured 1998
In 2012, Sir Elton’s husband David Furnish also got in on the act. After Madonna took home the Golden Globe for best original song in 2012, beating Sir Elton, Mr Furnish said: ‘Madonna winning Best Original Song truly shows how these awards have nothing to do with merit. Her acceptance speech was embarrassing in its narcissism’.
John had previously said in the run- to the ceremony that Madonna had 'no f***ing chance' of winning against his track Hello Hello for animated film, Gnomeo & Juliet.
Madonna said in response: 'Elton has been known to get mad at me, so I don't know. He's brilliant, and I adore him, so he'll win another award. I don't feel bad.'
After Madonna took a swipe at fellow pop star Lady Gaga in 2012, branding her derivative, Sir Elton waded in again, little realizing his scathing comments would be broadcast on TV.
Lady Gaga is godmother to one of his sons and he said: ‘[Madonna is] such a nightmare. Sorry, her career is over. Her tour has been a disaster and it couldn’t happen to a bigger c***.
'She’s been so horrible to Gaga. If Madonna had any common sense she’d have made a record like Ray Of Light, stayed away from the dance stuff and just been a great pop singer and make great pop records which she does brilliantly.
'But no, she had to prove that she was, like… and she looks like a f**king fairground stripper.'
Speaking of the blunder, the music legend said: 'I was furious and I said some pretty horrible things about her to a TV interviewer in Australia, a guy I’d known since the seventies called Molly Meldrum.
‘You can tell from the footage that it wasn’t part of the interview, that I was just sounding off to an old friend between takes…
‘They broadcast it anyway, which brought that particular old friendship to a very swift conclusion. Still, I shouldn’t have said it. I apologized.’
In 2016 John revealed he has buried the hatchet with Madonna after apologizing and putting the years of bickering aside.
The singer said the reconciliation came when they were coincidentally ended up at the same restaurant and he invited her to share a meal with him.
![Defense: After Madonna took a swipe at fellow pop star Lady Gaga in 2012, branding her derivative, Sir Elton waded in, calling her a 'nightmare'; Gaga and Elton seen in 2016](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/27/01/77061089-12678261-image-a-24_1698367520896.jpg)
Defense: After Madonna took a swipe at fellow pop star Lady Gaga in 2012, branding her derivative, Sir Elton waded in, calling her a 'nightmare'; Gaga and Elton seen in 2016
He told The Graham Norton Show; ‘I said something horrible about her that you should never say. I was in a restaurant in the south of France a couple of years ago and she walked in so I sent her a note saying, “You’ll probably never speak to me again but I am really sorry and ashamed of myself and can I buy you dinner.” She was very gracious and accepted and we talked. We are fine – it was just me and my big mouth.’
The father of two jokingly added: ‘I can’t say it won’t happen again but not with Madonna!’
And his words rang true in 2019, when he trotted out his feud with Madonna again in memoir Me, writing: 'I used to make fun of [Madonna] for lip-syncing on stage, but the problem really started when she ran Gaga down on an American chat show.
‘I got that Gaga’s single Born This Way definitely sounded similar to Express Yourself, but I couldn’t see why she was so ungracious and nasty about it, rather than taking it as a compliment… particularly when she claims to be a champion for women.'
He added: ‘I think it’s just wrong — an established artist shouldn’t kick down a younger artist right at the start of their career.’