Elton John, 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 Reginald Kenneth Dwight, began playing piano at age four and earned a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London.
John faced a tumultuous family life, with a distant father and a complicated relationship with his mother, which fueled his drive for success.
Struggling with addiction, John battled substance abuse for years, particularly with cocaine, before achieving sobriety in 1990.
Elton John has been married twice, first to Renate Blauel in 1984, and later to David Furnish in 2014, with whom he has two sons through surrogacy.
John has faced public scrutiny and personal challenges, including a tumultuous relationship with Furnish and rumors of infidelity, which he has addressed as part of an open marriage.
The singer has been a vocal critic of organized religion, particularly regarding its stance on homo𝓈ℯ𝓍uality, and has faced threats due to his outspoken nature.
Elton John is a highly successful artist with over 300 million records sold, numerous awards, and significant philanthropic efforts, including founding the Elton John AIDS Foundation.