Elton John was a huge supporter of Chappell Roan before most people had even heard of her — and so it was only right that at his Oscar party on Sunday, March 2, the 77-year-old music legend got to perform with his favorite pop star.
Roan, 27, was the headline act at the 33rd Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party and, as well as performing songs from her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess to an enthusiastic audience, she collaborated with John for an adorable rendition of her hit “Pink Pony Club.”
While John, who retired from touring in 2023, spent much of the performance seated, he showed that he still has some dance moves in his repertoire and, in one super-cute moment, Roan placed the star’s pink cowboy hat back on his head when it slipped off.
Introducing Roan to the audience at the event in West Hollywood Park, John called Roan “one of the biggest stars in the world right now, quite rightly so,” and said he “freaked out” when he first discovered her.
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“I immediately wanted to get her on the program, and she came on the program and I interviewed her and I fell in love with her and I fell in love with the album,” he said, per Billboard. “I’ve continued to be her friend hopefully and speak to her quite a lot.” He also praised how the star “not only speaks with her voice on stage, she speaks with her voice off stage in a candid and wonderful way” and then told her, “You’re the best, baby. I love you so much.”
@hollywoodreporter #eltonjohn joins #chappellroan on the stage to perform #pinkponyclub at his aids foundation #oscars after party
♬ original sound – The Hollywood Reporter – The Hollywood Reporter
At the glitzy annual event hosted by John and his partner, David Furnish, and this year cohosted by Jean Smart, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Roan also dueted with John on his ballad “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and performed a cover version of his huge hit “Your Song,” which she dedicated to her parents, who were also in attendance.
“I’m gonna sing a song that is one of my favorite songs of all time,” she said. “I think it’s like, I don’t know, maybe the best song of all time. I dedicate it to my parents because they introduced me to Elton John, so I would not even be here were it not for them, and obviously, Elton, this is your song.” She later added: “Girl, it’s kind of scary singing it in front of the person who wrote it and sang it.”
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An emotional Roan also thanked John for believing in her music. “He played it first, y’all,” she said, wiping away a tear and clutching the star’s hand. “And I’m so grateful that you would have me here. You have sacrificed so much for the queer community, and you made it so I could be the artist I could be.”
Previously, Furnish told Variety that John and Roan went back a long way. “He was about as early as an early adopter can be to her talent,” he said. “Subsequently, she’s become a dear friend to Elton and me. He keeps an eye on her and loves what she has achieved musically.”
