Who sang with Elton John at Glastonbury? Full list of guests who performed at the 2023 festival’s closing set
Sir Elton John‘s performance on Glastonbury festival’s Pyramid stage on Sunday evening (26 June) is likely to go down in rock history as one of its most legendary sets yet.
The 77-year-old played what he claimed was his last ever UK gig at the landmark festival, which was also shown on BBC One at 9pm, thrilling viewers who were unable to secure a ticket to the coveted event.
Dressed in a shiny gold suit and black-rimmed glasses with orange lenses, Sir Elton worked his way through a set-list that was “all killer, no filler”, including hits such as “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Rocket Man”, “Tiny Dancer”, “Your Song”, “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” and more.
Sir Elton told the crowd: “I never thought I would ever play Glastonbury and here I am.
“It’s a very special and emotional night for me because it might be my last show ever in England, so I had better play well and I had better entertain you, you’ve been standing there so long and I really appreciate all the outfits and everything” – a reference to the colourful and elaborate costumes worn by some of his fans.
Four guest stars also joined Sir Elton on stage to perform some of his biggest hits with him to one of the biggest crowds Glastonbury has seen in years.
Who sang with Elton John at Glastonbury?
Jacob Lusk
Sir Elton John was joined by Jacob Lusk of Gabriels and The London Community Gospel Choir for “Are You Ready For Love?”.
Sir Elton’s first guest looked as thrilled as his fans to be on stage and wore a spiffy fuchsia suit for his appearance.
The 36-year-old from Compton, California finished in fifth place on the tenth season of American Idol. He is also a member of Gabriels, an American-English three-piece band who formed in Los Angeles in 2016. They were nominated for BBC Radio 1’s Sound of… for 2023.
Stephen Sanchez
With the rumour mill working overtime regarding the possible identity of Sir Elton’s surprise guests, his second guest left some festival-goers scratching their heads.
At just 20-years-old, Sanchez – who hails from Nashville – joined Sir Elton on stage as his second guest of the evening.
“When I chose my guests for this show, I wanted to have newer artists – save for one person,” explained Elton.
“And this next boy I heard last year on the radio in America. I couldn’t believe someone of 19 or 20 years of age could write a song like this. So I’ve asked him to come to Glastonbury to sing his song.”
Sanchez went on to perform a rendition of his own original song “Until I Found You”, while Sir Elton accompanied him on piano.
Brandon Flowers
Sir Elton’s third guest was The Killers’ frontman, Brandon Flowers.
“My next guest I first met in 2005 when I was playing in Las Vegas,” said Sir Elton.
“We’ve been friends ever since. He was the first person I thought of to ask to play with me, even though he’s played Glastonbury six times with The Killers.”
Flowers joined Sir Elton in a rendition of “Tiny Dancer”.
Rina Sawayama
Welcoming the 32-year-old singer and actor on stage, Sir Elton described Rina Sawayama as “an extraordinary talent and one of my dear friends”.
She is best known for her 2022 record “Hold the Girl”, and also featured as an actor in the 2023 film John Wick: Chapter 4.
Rina and Sir Elton duetted for a rendition of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”.
What else did Sir Elton say during his Glastonbury performance?
Sir Elton dedicated “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” to George Michael on what would have been his 60th birthday.
“It’s a very special day today,” he said.
“One of Britain’s most fantastic singers, songwriters and artists was George Michael. He was my friend, he was an inspiration, and today would have been his 60th birthday. So I want to dedicate this song to his memory, and all the music he left us with, which is so gorgeous. This is for you, George.”
Sir Elton also thanked his fans, some of whom had been waiting for 17 hours to see the rock legend.
“I want to thank you all for dressing up – it makes me feel loved,” he said.
“And I want to thank you also for 52 years of amazing love and loyalty that you have shown me. It’s been an incredible journey and I have had the best, best time. I will never forget you – you are in my head, my heart and my soul.”
How can I watch Elton John’s Glastonbury set?
Sir Elton’s legendary Glastonbury performance is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
