Pop icons Madonna and Elton John have officially ended their decades-long feud, finally reconciling after years of public jabs and tension that began nearly 20 years ago.
In a post shared to her verified Instagram on Monday, Madonna revealed that the two music legends buried the hatchet after connecting backstage at Saturday Night Live, where Elton John had appeared as a musical guest. She accompanied the post with a photo of the two smiling together.
“We finally buried the hatchet!” Madonna wrote in the caption. “It hurt me for years knowing that someone I deeply admired expressed dislike for me so publicly. I never really understood it.”
Madonna explained that after learning John would be on SNL, she made the decision to attend the show and face the situation head-on. “I needed to go backstage and confront him,” she wrote. “When we met, the first words out of his mouth were, ‘Forgive me.’ And just like that, the wall between us came down. Forgiveness is powerful. Within minutes, we were hugging.”
Not only did the two reconcile, but Madonna also revealed that John expressed a desire to collaborate and had even written a song for her.
The rift between the two began back in 2004 when John accused Madonna of lip-syncing during live performances while accepting a songwriting award. The tension only grew over the years, with both artists exchanging barbed remarks in interviews and at public events.
One of the most talked-about moments came in 2012 when Madonna won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for her track “Masterpiece,” beating out John’s “Hello Hello.” Prior to the ceremony, John had said she didn’t “stand a f—ing chance” of winning. Cameras even caught his less-than-enthusiastic reaction during her acceptance speech.
Now, years later, the tone has shifted entirely. In her Instagram post, Madonna expressed newfound appreciation for her fellow performer.
“Watching him perform when I was in high school changed my life,” she said. “As a teenager who felt like an outsider, seeing him on stage helped me realize that being different was not only OK, it could be powerful.”
Elton John later responded to her post, thanking her for her forgiveness and acknowledging the impact of her career.
“Thank you for forgiving me and my big mouth,” he wrote. “You’ve done so much groundbreaking work, both musically and through your advocacy, especially around HIV/AIDS. I’m truly grateful we can move forward.”
John added that with so much division in the world today, reconciliation between people who’ve made a mark on marginalized communities is more important than ever. “Together, we can accomplish great things for those who need it most,” he said.
The exchange marks a new chapter for two of pop’s most enduring figures — not only as legends in their own right but now as allies with mutual respect and a shared history.
