By Markus Brachat
He gave the music world countless hits, became a pioneer for openly lived homosexuality and expressed the grief of an entire nation with the song “Candle In The Wind” when Princess Diana died. Now superstar Elton John (76) is probably performing live for the last time! In Stockholm.
But does the finale of the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour really mark a departure from the limelight?
Sir Elton John is one of the giants of rock and pop history. After being postponed several times, the exceptional British artist is now completing his farewell tour “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” with final performances in Stockholm. Recently, even France’s President attended the tour – with mixed reactions because of the recent riots. On Saturday evening he will be on stage in the Swedish capital for the last time as part of the tour.
With the concert tour he had broken several records – both in terms of length and income. According to the BBC, ticket sales brought in almost 816 million euros!
Is Elton John Really Retiring Forever?
Elton John has toured the US, Europe and Australia several times since 2018 with interruptions. He had announced that he would then step down in order to be able to spend more time with his husband David Furnish and their two sons. But will the 76-year-old avoid the headlights completely in the future? That can be doubted.
At his recent appearance at the legendary Glastonbury Festival in England in front of an estimated 120,000 people, he used a subjunctive as a precaution to say goodbye. “This is a very special and emotional evening for me because it could be the last performance in England,” he said to the festival-goers. Elton John thanked for “52 years of wonderful love and loyalty” and called out to the cheering fans: “I will never forget you guys.”
The man with the colorful glasses and dazzling wardrobe is a pop icon and one of the most successful solo artists in music history. During his career spanning more than half a century, he has released more than 30 studio albums, various concert recordings, EPs and soundtracks.
Elton John was style-defining
His mix of rock and pop with strong melodies and occasional theatrical elements influenced countless other musicians. In 2021, Elton John managed to land a top ten hit in the UK for the sixth consecutive decade with the song “Cold Heart” – also a record.
The number of his singles cannot be precisely quantified. It is estimated that there were around 140. Among them are many immortal classics like “Rocket Man”, “Your Song” or “Tiny Dancer”, catchy tunes like “Crocodile Rock” and the duet “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with Kiki Dee.
In the 80s, Elton John was in the charts with “Nikita” and “I’m Still Standing”. The latter could be the motto anyway for the music veteran, who was struggling with drug problems at the time but finally went into rehab in 1990.
Elton John paid tribute to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II at his last concert in Toronto Photo: picture alliance/dpa/AP
The song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from the film even earned Elton John an Oscar – one of countless awards he has received, including another Oscar, Grammys, Brit Awards, Golden Globes and the prestigious Ivor Novello Award.
Elton John’s influence on pop culture extends far beyond music. With his extravagant appearance and his sense of eye-catching fashion, especially the striking glasses, he was style-defining.
Last concert in Stockholm?
Like so many appearances as part of the farewell tour, the two final concerts in the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm had to be postponed again and again: First they were scheduled for September 2020, then moved to the following September and then to October 2021 before the Fans in Sweden had to wait for almost two more years.
So now the last performance of the farewell tour – after more than 300 concerts – will take place on Saturday evening in the football stadium in the south of Stockholm. It might get emotional…
But whether it will be goodbye forever seems anything but certain. His husband and manager David Furnish cast doubt on this last year. Elton John is really looking forward to spending time with the family, he told Billboard magazine. That’s the top priority in his life. Will he still appear again? “It’s in his blood,” Furnish said.