Lady Gaga, 32, performed “Your Song” in a special tribute to Sir Elton John. It was masterful, brilliant, and beautiful.
Elton John, 71, called her rendition “absolutely incredible” on Instagram.
“@ladygaga has done an absolutely incredible version of ‘Your Song’ which has its exclusive first play tomorrow on @bbcradio2 after 8am. I love you Gaga, thank you for being part of #EltonREVAMP. #ladygaga #littlemonsters #newmusic #yoursong”
“Not easy to cover one of Sir Elton’s songs and hold your own, especially on one of his albums,” host Chris Evans—not that one—said after its broadcast debut. “But that’s not bad at all, is it?”
Elton John praised Lady Gaga sharing this on Twitter: “More than a friend, @ladygaga is family to me. Get ready, this #EltonSalute performance of ‘Your Song’ will blow you away. Elton xo #EltonREVAMP”
More than a friend, @ladygaga is family to me. Get ready, this #EltonSalute performance of ‘Your Song’ will blow you away. Elton xo #EltonREVAMP pic.twitter.com/IqkKVlK6bd
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) April 11, 2018
“Your Song” first debuted in 1970. In 1998, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The Gaga version appears on a new album of Elton John covers, Revamp: Reimagining the Songs Of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.
“He’s been my mentor for a long time,” Gaga told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “I mean, he’s always challenged me to keep my head above water and it’s something that I always appreciate is that he knows when I’m down. He just does. And he knows because I hide, because I never want anyone to see me when I’m like that,” she said.
“Elton’s always really challenged me to take care of my artistry and to really take care of myself. And I really, really honour that about him. He is so, so uniquely special.”
She continued: “And I cannot tell you how instrumental in my life he’s been to showing me that you can go all the way in life and… be authentic and be you and do good things in the world and take care of yourself and be there.”
Elton and his partner, David Furnish, chose her to be godmother to his sons Elijah and Zachary.
“She’s a great role model, she’s young, (and) she’s been a great godmother to Zachary,” John told Extra after Elijah was born. “We’re all bonkers in this business, but we’re human beings at the same time.”
According to Billboard, Lady Gaga and John’s friendship can be traced back to 2010, when Lady Gaga debuted at the Grammys and performed with John. She sang “Poker Face” and “Speechless” before the two of them launched into a rendition of John’s “Your Song.”
Source: Billboard, Nicki Swift, Today, People