Tina Turner vs. Elton John: The Feud You Never Knew Happened
They were both icons. Tina Turner – fierce, commanding, perfectionist. Elton John – flamboyant, unapologetic, a musical genius. The world was thrilled when they announced a potential joint tour in the late 1990s. But what happened behind closed doors would eventually kill the entire project.
💥 Sparks Behind the Scenes
In his bestselling memoir Me, Elton John revealed that Tina Turner humiliated him during rehearsals for their proposed tour.
“She wanted me to play piano her way,” he wrote. “She was bossy, demanding—and then she called me fat.”
Yes, in the middle of rehearsal, in front of everyone, Tina allegedly looked at Elton and said:
“You’re too fat to wear that on stage.”
🎭 Clashing Egos
Elton, known for his flashy outfits and strong opinions, was not going to take it lightly. Tina, on the other hand, was a perfectionist who didn’t tolerate compromise when it came to stage presence.
She asked Elton to remove his signature sunglasses, change the setlist, and even told him how to play the piano. Eventually, Elton snapped.
“I stormed out. That was the end of it.”
🤝 Any Reconciliation?
While the tour never happened, Elton later clarified that he didn’t hold a grudge. In fact, he called Tina Turner “one of the fiercest, most brilliant women in music.”
He concluded:
“We were two storms colliding. No wonder it didn’t work.”