Elton John and Britney Spears have entered the Top 10 with their recent collaborative single, “Hold Me Closer.”
The collaboration initially came about after the US icon tweeted her love for John’s 1971 hit “Tiny Dancer” in 2015 and gave the British superstar the idea for the track. After hearing the first cut of “Hold Me Closer” in summer 2022, he thought Spears’ voice would be the perfect fit for the track and asked her to join him on the song.
Now, the single has scored both artists another Top 10 hit in the US. “Hold Me Closer” has debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No.6, giving John his 29th and Spears her 14th Top 10 entry on the chart.
The song, which was released on August 26 after weeks of teasing, updates “Tiny Dancer,” mixing it with elements of some of John’s other iconic tracks, including “The One” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” The results are at once refreshingly modern and a nod to the catalog of a bona fide legend.
“Hold Me Closer” also provided a momentous moment in modern music history – the first piece of new material from Spears since 2016. “I was so honored when the incredible Sir Elton John asked me to join him on one of his most iconic songs,” the beloved pop star said at the time of the single’s release. “We are so excited for the fans to hear it! Thank you, Elton, for having me! I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to work with you and your legendary mind.”
John will continue to celebrate his inimitable career with his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” goodbye tour, which he recently extended with five special “encore” concerts in Australia and New Zealand. Currently, the tour is set to end on July 8, 2023, in Stockholm, Sweden.
