On a cool March night in New York City, the energy was palpable. Inside Madison Square Garden, a sold-out crowd was finally witnessing Dua Lipa in concert, a performance long anticipated after a two-year delay. Her album “Future Nostalgia,” a vibrant pop explosion released at the onset of the 2020 pandemic, ironically became the soundtrack to a global lockdown. Tracks like “Levitating,” “Physical,” and “Don’t Start Now” transformed into anthems of solitary dance parties, embodying the collective yearning for a return to social connection, to nights out, and the simple joy of dancing with others. Two years later, that moment had arrived, and the atmosphere was electric.
Dua Lipa performing on stage at Madison Square Garden
But the emotional high point of Dua Lipa’s show wasn’t a solo performance. It was “Cold Heart,” a song that felt both brand new and deeply familiar. This inventive duet with Elton John seamlessly blended four of his classic songs, most notably “Rocket Man” from 1972 and “Sacrifice” from 1989. “Cold Heart” became a global phenomenon, topping charts worldwide and cementing Elton John and Dua Lipa as Variety‘s 2022 Hitmakers of the Year. That night at Madison Square Garden, Dua Lipa and her dancers gathered at the stage’s edge, singing arm-in-arm as a video of Elton John performing his part played on the screen behind them.
Remarkably, at almost the exact same moment, just five miles away at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Elton John himself was also performing “Cold Heart.” His audience was experiencing the same wave of pandemic-delayed joy and release. This was one of the many stops on his monumental “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, a journey that began in 2018 and was initially planned for three years but has extended to nearly six, with its grand finale in Europe the following summer. This particular Brooklyn concert had been rescheduled from April 2020, further underscoring the long wait for these shared musical experiences.
Despite performing in the same city on the same night, Elton John and Dua Lipa were not physically together. These two artists, now known simply by their first names, had first met in person at Elton John’s AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party in 2021, forging a quick friendship. Yet, even their chart-topping duet “Cold Heart” was created remotely, with neither artist being in the studio at the same time. They hadn’t even seen each other’s individual tours in person.
“Our touring schedules were like ships in the night — we kept missing each other,” Dua Lipa explained, her London accent clear. “But there’s also something magical about the same song being played in the same city on the same night with completely different crowds and bringing such a good energy. We had both been performing it across the world separately, waiting for the moment we could do so together.”
That long-awaited moment finally arrived on November 20th at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the final North American stop on Elton John’s farewell tour. These concerts held extra significance, marking not only the end of this leg of his tour but also a symbolic return to the city where his superstardom began. Elton John’s career truly took off with his legendary 1970 performance at the Troubadour club, a venue holding just 500 people, and reached another peak with his two Dodger Stadium concerts five years later.
As the familiar beat of “Cold Heart” began to play, the Dodger Stadium crowd erupted. Elton John, wearing a sparkling Dodgers-inspired robe reminiscent of one he wore on that same stage decades earlier, welcomed Dua Lipa. She gracefully walked onstage in a sleek black gown, her long hair flowing. They embraced and, for the first time, performed “Cold Heart” together, with Elton John encouraging the audience to sing along.
“When we recorded ‘Cold Heart,’ we had no idea of the life it would have – what a privilege for that first performance to be at his final show in North America,” Dua Lipa reflected the next day. “I could have never imagined a night like this — it reminded me to never stop dreaming.”
Elton John described the performance as “a magical moment” and praised his duet partner: “I adore her. She is incredibly talented — absolutely brilliant — and so professional. It’s a pleasure to be around someone who is so young, has done so much already and is so humble. She is also great fun, and we get on like a house on fire.”
To my most magical friend @eltonofficial thank you for keeping the dream alive!!! It was an honour, a privilege and a joy to share the stage with you last night on your last show at the Dodgers Stadium. Thank you for everything, forever and always… pic.twitter.com/UWLx3EpEFQ
— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) November 22, 2022
The Reinvention of “Cold Heart”
“Cold Heart” is more than just a hit song; it represents Elton John’s ongoing support for emerging artists and a fresh approach to musical reinvention. While labeled a remix, it’s a sophisticated blend of Elton John classics, reimagined by the Australian trio Pnau. Pnau, known for their similar treatment of Elton’s catalog on the 2012 album “Good Morning to the Night,” masterfully fused elements of “Rocket Man,” “Sacrifice,” “Kiss the Bride” (1983), and “Where’s the Shoorah?” (1976). The result is a song that feels both nostalgic and contemporary, offering a musical Easter egg hunt for longtime fans while introducing Elton John’s timeless melodies to a new generation through Dua Lipa’s modern pop sensibility.
Elton John and Dua Lipa on Variety Hitmakers Cover
“It’s much more than a remix or a mashup,” Elton John clarified. “Pnau take elements from old songs and make them into a new song. They came up with the idea, and I’ve sung it so many times myself that I just thought it would be better with a different kind of voice.”
When it came to choosing that “different kind of voice,” Dua Lipa was Elton John and his husband and manager, David Furnish’s, top choice.
“Luckily enough, I’d met her at the AIDS Foundation event,” Elton John recalled. “In our fight against AIDS, we are desperately in need of younger voices to get people to listen, and she is an incredible live performer, so I knew she would be perfect. So David and I took her to dinner and said, ‘We’ve got this song. …’”
“And my first answer was ‘Yes, absolutely,’” Dua Lipa chimed in, continuing the story with a laugh, “but they were like, ‘Well, listen to it before you agree to it.’ I was in Malibu writing for my new album, and they sent it to me very early one morning. We were on FaceTime — even though we’re friends, it’s still surreal being on FaceTime with Elton and David — and I remember I was in my bikini by the pool, wearing a cowboy hat for some reason. … ”
“And I said, ‘You’ve got to listen to it by the pool — loud,’” Elton John concluded, “and within a day or so, she said, ‘I’m in,’ and that was that.”
A British Collaboration Across Generations
The collaboration between Elton John and Dua Lipa is not just a meeting of musical styles but also a distinctly British cultural moment. Both artists hail from London, though from different generations. Elton John, born in Pinner in 1947, is a quintessential product of the postwar British baby boom. Dua Lipa, born in West Hampstead 48 years later, sits on the cusp of the millennial and Gen Z generations, born to Kosovar-Albanian parents. Despite spending some of her teenage years in Kosovo, Dua Lipa embodies the spirit of multicultural Britain. Her accent and demeanor are unmistakably London, connecting her to Elton John through a shared British identity, despite their generational gap.
This personal chemistry was evident in the hours leading up to their Dodger Stadium performance. Dua Lipa, arriving for soundcheck in a vibrant pink shorts-and-crop-top outfit and carrying a playful teddy bear bag, greeted Elton John with infectious enthusiasm. During their Variety cover photoshoot at the stadium bar, their playful dynamic shone even brighter when Blur’s Britpop anthem “Girls and Boys” filled the room, prompting even more lively interactions. As Dua Lipa playfully draped herself over Elton John, David Furnish jokingly quipped, “I’m gonna get jealous!”
Elton John and Dua Lipa at Dodger Stadium
Elton John’s generosity extends far beyond Dua Lipa. His decades-long commitment to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which has raised over $525 million for HIV/AIDS initiatives, demonstrates his profound dedication to making a difference. Beyond philanthropy, he has consistently championed artists of all ages, especially younger talent. In the 1970s, he founded Rocket Records, revitalizing the careers of established artists like Neil Sedaka and launching Kiki Dee, with whom he had the global hit “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” His mentorship has taken many forms: collaborations, public endorsements, business guidance (his company managed Ed Sheeran for several years), and support for artists facing personal challenges. His performance with Eminem at the 2001 Grammys served as a powerful statement against homophobia in the music industry.
This spirit of support continued with “Hold Me Closer,” Elton John’s collaboration with Britney Spears, a reimagining of his 1971 classic “Tiny Dancer.” Released shortly after Spears won her legal battle regarding her conservatorship, the song was David Furnish’s idea. “He said, ‘Why don’t we ask Britney, because she needs to feel the love.’ We’ve been watching the documentaries and following her career for the last few years, and she’s been through a horrific, traumatic time. But she’s first and foremost a singer, and I just wanted to have her back in the charts and people loving her voice again.” Both “Cold Heart” and “Hold Me Closer” are featured on the deluxe edition of Elton John’s “Lockdown Sessions” album.
From George Michael and Mary J. Blige to Lady Gaga and Lil Nas X, a staggering number of major artists have collaborated with Elton John. These collaborations often blossom into genuine friendships, dinners, and even vacations – Lady Gaga is godmother to his sons. Since 2016, his “Rocket Hour” radio show on Apple Music has amplified his support for emerging artists. With over 350 episodes, he has showcased a diverse range of musicians, from established stars like Joni Mitchell and Ed Sheeran to rising talents like Ten Tonnes and Nao, often giving them their first major platform.
Rina Sawayama and Elton John
Japanese-British singer Rina Sawayama, whose friendship with Elton John and David Furnish has grown into shared vacations, recalls, “He featured a couple of my singles on his radio show, and then he wanted to interview me on it. At first, I thought, ‘Oh, he’s gonna give me a shout-out and that will be it,’ but he calls every two weeks. And even though he’s so famous, I just saw so many similarities with my queer friends and the humor that we have. He’s helped me so much behind the scenes — he’ll be like, ‘OK, what do you need?’ and two minutes after you hang up, you’ll get a call back. He makes dreams come true; it’s incredible. He’s like Santa Claus — actually, strike that,” she laughs. “He’s more like a fairy godmother.”
Dua Lipa herself experienced Elton John’s support early in her career. “He had championed my music on ‘Rocket Hour’ early on,” she says. “You can’t imagine how amazing is it to have somebody like Elton John champion you. Then we got to perform my favorite song of his, ‘Bennie and the Jets,’ at the AIDS Foundation event, and we’ve remained friends, going out for dinner and hanging out. He’s such a big, big fan of music — he knows all the new artists.”
Elton John’s deep love for music started in childhood. Reginald Dwight, his birth name, was a piano prodigy who could play songs by ear after a single listen. He was captivated by radio and his mother’s record collection. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music, played in pubs and clubs, worked at a music publisher, and spent hours in London record stores. He obsessively followed the charts, meticulously tracking songwriters and producers. He embodies a rare blend of artistry, industry knowledge, and genuine superfan enthusiasm.
“He scours, scours YouTube for new stuff,” Sawayama emphasizes. “He’s 75 and he teaches me about new music.”
In his autobiography, “Me,” Elton John modestly downplays his mentoring role. However, he explains to Variety, “It comes from when I first came to America and played the Troubadour. Neil Diamond introduced me onstage — I was gobsmacked — and Leon Russell was in the audience, who was my idol. I got to meet [Beach Boys mastermind] Brian Wilson and the Band on that trip, and George Harrison sent me a telegram saying congratulations. It was so kind for all of those people that I’d idolized growing up to take the time to say, ‘Well done.’ It kind of ratified what I was doing. I was so blown away by it and so touched, and it’s been in my DNA ever since, that you must always ring up someone if they are doing good work. I do the same with photographers and artists and actors and anyone like that — it’s good for the soul.”
Elton John and Miley Cyrus at the Grammy Awards
When asked about his recent favorite artists, Elton John enthusiastically lists a wide range, including Rina Sawayama, Sam Fender, Gabriels, Oliver Sim, Wet Leg, Let’s Eat Grandma, Omar Apollo, Lewis Taylor, Burna Boy, Fred Again, Sharon Van Etten, Parker Millsap, Little Simz, Jessie Reyez, Loonie, Sarah Rose, Courtney Marie Andrews, Phoebe Bridgers, the Nova Twins, and Lord Huron, apologizing for likely forgetting many others.
Looking Ahead: New Music and Continued Impact
As 2022 ended, both Dua Lipa and Elton John were still actively engaged with projects that had extended beyond their initial timelines. While Dua Lipa acknowledged a touch of nostalgia as “Future Nostalgia” moved into the past, she was deeply immersed in creating her third album and her lifestyle platform, Service95, encompassing a newsletter and the “At Your Service” podcast. Her podcast has featured diverse guests, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad, civil rights leader Bryan Stevenson, Monica Lewinsky, Dita von Teese, and, of course, Elton John.
It was during her podcast interview with Elton John in March that Dua Lipa mentioned her new album being halfway complete. However, she revealed that “it’s taken a complete turn as I’ve carried on working, and I really feel now that it’s starting to sound cohesive. So I’m going to keep writing in the early months of the new year and see where that takes me. The album is different — it’s still pop but it’s different sonically, and there’s more of a lyrical theme. If I told you the title, everything would make sense — but I think we’ll just have to wait.”
Elton John and Lady Gaga at the Grammy Awards
Like Elton John, Dua Lipa is also deeply involved in advocacy, particularly for Kosovo-Albanian causes. She was named an honorary ambassador for Kosovo. She is also a vocal advocate for feminist and LGBTQ+ rights. In a notable instance, she publicly challenged the human rights policies of Qatar, the World Cup host country, rather than simply dismissing rumors of her performing at the opening ceremony.
“The World Cup is a really unique opportunity to hold Qatar to account,” she stated. “They made pledges on human rights when they signed the deal for the World Cup that have not been satisfactorily met on migrant workers’ rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights and freedom of expression — what kind of message does it send if these pledges mean nothing? I really have nothing against Qatar, and I hope one day I will get the chance to go there. But I didn’t like being amongst speculation that I was going to perform for something that really goes against my beliefs.”
As for Elton John, despite a career spanning over 300 million albums sold, 3,500 concerts, Rock and Roll and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductions, five Grammys, two Oscars, and countless other accolades, he emphasizes that the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour marks the end of touring, not the end of his musical journey.
“The tour is everything I possibly wanted it to be and more — I can honestly say that at 75, I’m happier than I’ve ever been,” he concluded. “I’m not going to tour anymore, but I’m certainly going to make records — and I’m certainly, hopefully, going to collaborate with more people.”
Additional reporting by Shirley Halperin.
