He’s still standing, but he’s doing so without his vision. Sir Elton John recently revealed to the world that he has suffered an eye infection that has taken his sight. The legendary musician made an appearance at the gala for The Devil Wears Prada musical in London, where he announced that he had to take in the musical—which he composed the music for—using only his ears.
Sir Elton John contracted the infection while in the South of France. Initially, his condition affected his right eye, but it was so severe that his left eye has been impacted as well, complicating his recovery. While scary, he is making progress toward healing. Unfortunately, he has had to halt work on his next album, as he composes his music visually, pairing the notes with the words he’s written. Being unable to read or focus on visual tasks has taken a toll on the musician, who is used to creating whenever inspiration strikes.
After revealing his condition at the gala for the London premiere, he expressed gratitude for his medical team and the care he’s received, the support from his family, and the hopeful—albeit slow—progress he’s making toward healing and resuming what he loves: making music for the world to enjoy.
Sir Elton John rose to fame in the 1970s with his iconic voice paired with the upbeat music he wrote to accompany himself on the piano. He’s been making music for more than 50 years, y’all. That’s nothing to sneeze at. His music is beloved worldwide. If you think you don’t know any Elton John songs, I promise you do: “Rocket Man,” “Your Song,” “Crocodile Rock.” And don’t forget about that silly little cartoon he scored—The Lion King. It’s basically Hamlet with lions and a happy ending. I hear it’s been adapted into a musical that’s been running either on Broadway or touring since 1997.
More than music, Sir Elton John has been a fierce advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, using his influence to push for LGBTQIA+ rights and raise AIDS awareness during the epidemic that ravaged the world in the ’80s and ’90s.
Why mention all of that? Because moments like the one Sir Elton John shared at the London gala show that he is committed to the artistic community despite his personal challenges. And that community sure does adore him.
Sir Elton John owes no one resilience, yet he continues to show up for himself and the world. The man can’t see and could easily choose to give up—but he doesn’t. Do you know what that means? If Sir Elton John can keep fighting to regain even a bit of his vision to write just one more album, you can finish drafting that email to your boss. Promise.
I sincerely wish Sir Elton John all the best as he continues to heal, and I stand forever in awe of the astounding catalog of music he has already contributed to the artistic world. I can only imagine the beauty he’ll share with us once he’s ready to sit down at the piano again!
