Elton John Praises Madonna for Her ‘Advocacy & Compassion’ With Celebration Tour AIDS Tribute

As Madonna continues her monthslong journey across the globe and back through her career with her Celebration Tour, pop icon Sir Elton John is ready to give the “Ray of Light” singer her flowers.

In a post to his Instagram on Thursday (Oct. 26), John shared a photo from Madonna’s tour, showing the singer standing in a floating rectangle as the faces of thousands of people who died throughout the HIV/AIDS crisis swirled around the stage. John took a moment to praise his peer for bringing visibility to an ongoing issue.

“We’re deeply moved by the heartfelt tribute from @madonna during her Celebration Tour performance of ‘Live to Tell’, honouring the 40.4 million people we’ve lost to AIDS,” John wrote in the caption. “Thank you, Madonna, for your advocacy and compassion, and for raising important awareness of the ongoing mission to end AIDS. With 39 million people living with HIV today, 9.4 million of whom are not currently on life-saving treatment, we must keep using our voices and platforms to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live full and healthy lives.”

Both John and Madonna have been vocal advocates for people living with HIV/AIDS over the years. John started the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 as a means of raising money for research into a cure for the retrovirus. Madonna, meanwhile, has spoken out as a vocal advocate for HIV/AIDS research since the 1980s, when she was one of the first celebrities to lend her support to patients living through the outset of the epidemic.