"Forgiveness is a powerful tool" — Madonna makes amends with Elton John after Saturday Night Live meet-up

Madonna recently met Elton John backstage after his performance on Saturday Night Live, which aired on April 5, 2025. On April 7, Madonna shared a picture of herself with Elton on her official Instagram account after decades of publicly feuding with him. In the caption of the post, where they were seen hugging one another, Madonna wrote:

"Forgiveness is a powerful tool. Within minutes. We were hugging."

The photograph, taken while she was visiting Elton backstage at Saturday Night Live, stated that the singers had chosen to put aside their differences and focus on rebuilding their connection. Madonna, in the caption of the post, also revealed that Elton had written a song for her and wanted to collaborate.

Madonna and Elton's feud began in 2002, when Elton criticized Madonna's song Die Another Day. In 2004, the Saturday Night Live star had called out Madonna during an award acceptance speech, accusing her of lip-syncing. Their conflict, which continued throughout the 2000s, finally concluded in 2025, when Madonna and Elton "buried the hatchet."

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"Thank you for forgiving me and my big mouth" — Saturday Night Live star Elton John responds to Madonna's Instagram post

In the caption of her Instagram post, Madonna exclaimed that Elton and she had "finally buried the hatchet!!!" She then praised his performance on SNL, and recalled when she, as a high school student, snuck out at night to watch Elton perform live in Detroit. She said it was an "unforgettable performance" that helped her understand the "transformative power" of music.

"Seeing him perform when I was in high school changed the course of my life," she added.

The Material Girl singer confessed that she always felt like an outsider growing up. However, watching Elton on stage helped her understand that it "was OK to be different-to stand out." She credited him for motivating her to "take the road, less traveled by." Madonna believed the awakening was "essential."

She then stated that it disappointed her to see someone she "admired so much" publicly criticize her as an artist. However, once she heard that Elton John was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, she said she had to meet and "confront him."

The caption of the Instagram post said that when Madonna met Elton, the first thing the latter sought was her forgiveness. Madonna wrote that once Elton apologized for his behavior, "the wall" between them crumbled immediately.

"Then he told me had written a song for me and he wanted to collaborate. It was like everything came full circle!! And you can tell everybody, This is Your Song...." Madonna wrote.

Elton replied to Madonna's post in a comment, saying:

"Thank you for coming to see me at SNL. And thank you for forgiving me and my big mouth."

The Saturday Night Live musical guest then admitted that he was not proud of what he had said about her. He then praised her "groundbreaking work" and appreciated her for "paving the way for an entire generation of female artists to succeed and be true to themselves."

The Goodbye Yellow Brick Road singer then noted that Madonna was among the first people to "rise up against HIV/AIDS in the 80's," before adding that she brought compassion and love to many individuals who "desperately" sought it.

He concluded by saying that he was "grateful" they could move past their differences and start afresh.

"By pulling together, I'm hopeful that we can make great things happen for those who really need support. And have a lot of fun doing it!!" said Elton.

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Saturday Night Live will return with a new episode on April 12, 2025, exclusively on NBC.