Elton John and Britney Spears may not have any plans at the moment to make music together again, but that doesn’t mean the Rocketman isn’t thinking about a reunion.
“He would love to work more with her, and actually work in person with her, because she was in L.A. and he was in London and it was recorded that way,” John’s manager and husband David Furnish tells me. “It was actually my idea because we were talking about people to collaborate with. We talked and said, ‘Wouldn’t this be great to let Britney take a baby step to get her foot[ing] back, and if she wants to continue to go forward, that’s her decision to make.’ She can pick up the phone and speak to Elton about it at any time.”
John and Spears’ duet of “Hold Me Closer” dropped on Aug. 25 and is a reimagined take on “Tiny Dancer.” The single marked Spears’ first release in six years.
I caught up with Furnish on Friday at The Webster boutique in Los Angeles during the store’s unveiling of its Elton John-branded merchandise commemorating his upcoming farewell tour dates at Dodger Stadium.
John’s 1975 performance at the stadium has become synonymous with the sequined Dodgers uniform he wore during the show. “Elton will be recreating the spirit of the Dodgers suit on stage in a way that’s so befitting of this tour, and how he’s dressed on stage for this tour,” Furnish said.
In other words, Gucci has a hand in its recreation, but with “elements of the original being part of it,” Furnish said.
There will be surprise guests during the Nov. 20 concert, which will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions and Rocket Entertainment and stream live on Disney+.
As John circles the globe in what is expected to be his final tour, Furnish says he will not be retiring to a “sofa with a remote control.” He wants to continue discovering and mentoring new artists as well as perform at smaller venues. “This will definitely be the end of all touring without question,” Furnish said. “I hope he still does a one-off every now and then or maybe, like not in Vegas, but a small residency at some point.”
Perhaps a residency at L.A.’s The Troubadour? “That would be amazing,” Furnish said. “He would love to at some point go and play a lot of the songs he doesn’t normally get to play during his concerts. He has such a huge catalog and has written so many beautiful songs. I think there will definitely be a 2.0 in some shape or form.”
It was COVID lockdown that helped convince John, 75, to leave the road because he enjoyed spending so much time with Furnish and their two sons. “He saw the daffodils in his garden for the first time in 25 years because every time they would bloom in the spring, he’d be somewhere touring,” Furnish said. “It’s a joyful ending for us as a family and I know it’s a joyful ending for him as a father. That’s the bigger priority in his life now. He says, ‘I’ve had enough applause. I’ve had all the love and support from my fans from the stage for so many years.’”
John will return to his Academy Awards viewing party benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 2023. He had to miss this year’s gala because he was on the road fulfilling tour stops that had been rescheduled due to the pandemic. His post-touring plans also include more personal traveling and visiting communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
“He’s in the best health,” Furnish said. “He just had all of his medical results done in L.A. last week ahead of Dodger Stadium. Everything is absolutely brilliant — his eyes, his ears, his blood sugar. Everything is really great.”
