Dua Lipa adores Elton John.
In a cover story interview with Billboard U.K. on Monday, Dec. 16, the “New Rules” hitmaker, 29, opened up about her TV special, An Evening With Dua Lipa, and featured the first time she and the “Candle in the Wind” musician, 77, performed live together at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Of the evening, Lipa said, “there was nothing quite like it.”
“Those orchestral instrumentations just shook me to the core,” she recalled. “Feeling my music in such a way that was so moving, it made me fall in love with music all over again.”
Lipa then opened up about what it meant to her to perform the “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” with John live for the first time.
“Obviously Elton is no stranger to the Albert Hall himself and it felt like such a chic and elegant night, so I needed my most chic and fabulous friend to come and join me,” she said. “He immediately said yes.”
Lipa continued: “One thing about Elton is that he always shows up for his friends. He’s super loyal… he’s just always been there, lending his ear and being so supportive.”
In March 2023, John revealed to PEOPLE that the “Houdini” artist hardly needed his direction when the two collaborated on the track.
“She didn’t really need that much advice,” he said. “She’s so smart, and she’s so grounded, and so in touch with what’s happening. She’s a delight to be with.”
Added John: “I don’t really need to give her any advice. She’s doing really, really well.”
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Elsewhere in the interview, Lipa reflected on not getting a Grammy nomination for her 2024 album Radical Optimism after earning 10 nominations over the years, as well as a win for best new artist in 2019.
“I’m so proud of Radical Optimism and where it’s brought me,” she said. “I love that album and I’m having the time of my life performing it live, and I’ve been able to do things that I thought I could only dream of this year, so I’m really grateful.”
While Lipa said “it would have been nice to be recognized for the album, “especially as a woman,” she’s “so proud” of the “incredible female artists” nominated at the 2025 Grammys.
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