Elton John considers himself one of Chappell Roan’s earliest supporters. He discovered the singer before her debut album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” came out in 2023.
“He was as early an adopter as you can get of her talent. Since then, she’s become a close friend of both Elton and me,” David Furnish, Elton’s husband, shares with me. “He keeps an eye on her and is proud of everything she’s accomplished musically.”
John and Furnish attended one of Roan’s performances at London’s O2 Academy Brixton in September. “Elton hadn’t been to Brixton since 1968 or something. It was a real pilgrimage,” Furnish recalls. “We were both just amazed by her and her performance. This is an artist with just one album, and she played every song from it. The audience knew every word, and she gave an incredible performance. Her band was fantastic. She knew how to deliver a song in such an electrifying and powerful way to the crowd.”
Given this connection, it’s no surprise that the “Pink Pony Club” singer will perform at this year’s Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party. The 33rd annual event will take place at West Hollywood Park on March 2. The event will be co-hosted by John and Furnish, along with Jean Smart, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Neil Patrick Harris, and David Burtka. Since its inception over three decades ago, the viewing party has raised almost $115 million to support the foundation’s mission to end AIDS.
“Chappell understands the foundation’s work,” Furnish, who chairs the Elton John AIDS Foundation, explains. “She shares our values and goals. We are all passionately committed to ending the epidemic and ensuring no one is left behind.”
John will spend the early part of the evening at the Oscars, as he’s nominated for Best Original Song for “Never Too Late” from his Disney+ documentary of the same name. He co-wrote the song with Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin, and Andrew Watt. Furnish hopes for a repeat of 2020 when John arrived at the party with his second Oscar after winning for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman.
It’s still undecided whether John will perform with Roan during the event. “They’re still discussing things, let’s just say that,” Furnish teases. “We’ll do what we did in 2020 when the song from Rocketman was nominated—once the award is presented, we’ll jump in the car and head straight to our party because it’s crucial for us to be there and be in the room.”
Since its founding in 1992, the foundation has raised over $600 million.
“The most pressing issue for the foundation is to continue pushing hard to build on the progress we’ve made, ensuring we don’t lose momentum,” Furnish adds. “Governments around the world, including in the U.S., are asking questions about spending efficiency and value for money.”
Furnish recalls a bipartisan trip he and John took with U.S. lawmakers to Johannesburg two years ago to witness the foundation’s work in South Africa. “We saw the progress made, and everyone from both sides of the aisle agreed it was a tremendous investment. So much progress has been achieved,” he says. “Everyone agreed these are wise philanthropic investments for the American government and governments worldwide to make.”
For tickets to the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party, visit eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org.
